Something to Fight For
by Azlan0861
Summary: Arthius is the great Dragonborn of legend, but after Alduin's disappearance, he's left with little purpose. While conflicted by his own inner demons, he finds himself in the boots of a vampire hunter, hoping to extinguish the threat. Instead he finds himself alongside one, aiding to destroy an ancient prophecy that could end life as he knew it.
1. Chapter 1

_He opened his eyes to smoke and fire, the sounds of screams ringing in his ears as he was pulled from the ground to his feet. He was shoved from behind towards a crumbling tower as the great beast roared above him. Soldiers were shouting commands to take cover, or to go on the offensive and fire arrows at the beast. He quickly turned to see his executioner turned savior be grabbed by the beast not a moment after saving his life. He turned towards the tower and ran as fast as he could to the apparent safety inside, unaware that this was just the beginning to the rest of his life._

Arthius often thinks back to this day, the very beginning to this life he now lives. He's an Imperial/ Nord mix, at least that's what he's told. The elder that raised him told him that his parents met in the great war and fell in love shortly after. They had passed away not long after having him, so one of the town elders took him in until he had also died when Arthius was about eleven years of age.

After the old man's death, Arthius became a bit of a thief to survive. Robbing stores in the dead of night, stealing valuables from homes, and pickpocketing anyone foolish enough to turn their backs on him. He had travelled all across cyrodiil to avoid being sent to prison until he decided to venture into skyrim at age nineteen when he ran into an Imperial ambush.

Since that day he was pronounced to be the great dragonborn of legend. He did all he could to learn as much of the voice as possible from the greybeards, and spent countless hours with Paarthurnax learning to hone his powers in the voice. He learned how to fight from Vilkas and Farkas, and learned how to use a bow from Aela of the companions whom he is now harbinger of. He's learned stealth and quickness from the Thieves guild who he now leads as the guild master and as an agent of nocturnal known as a Nightingale, and he learned the art of killing and walking amongst the shadows from the Dark brotherhood as the listener.

As the day finally came to read the elder scroll dragon, Arthius felt prepared for whatever he might have faced when he left to battle Alduin. He was not however prepared for Alduin to appear immediately after he read it. The skies darkened as Alduin unleashed a thu'um conjuring meteors to fall from the sky as he and Paarthurnax took flight to battle amongst the clouds. All Arthius could do was avoid meteors and wait for the right moment to unleash his dragonrend shout. Once Alduin appeared from the clouds, he unleashed his shout sending Alduin to the ground below where Arthius could strike him with his sword. Alduin unleashed a blast of fire from his mouth, Arthius barely had time to leap out of harms way. As he got to his feet, he was swatted by Alduin's tail and sent tumbling across the mountain top. As Alduin prepared to swat him again, Arthius used his slow time shout, which gave him the chance he needed to duck before the tail struck him again. With Alduin's back still turned, Arthius ran in and stabbed Alduin in the side with all his strength. Alduin's rough skin barely allowed a small gash, but it was something at least. The battle lasted another hour or so before Alduin realized he was no match for Arthius' thu'um and disappeared from skyrim. That was almost two years ago as even Paarthurnax's Sovangarde theory was false. Ever since then, Arthius has been doing all he could to help the people of skyrim, including putting a standstill to the civil war that plagues the land.

Arthius thought to himself as he sat in his dining hall in Lakeview manor sipping black briar mead. Lydia soon walked into the room, seeing her thane in the same mood he's been in for about a week.

"Is something troubling you my thane? " she asked. Arthius looked up from the table, a little surprised by Lydia's presence.

"No, thank you Lydia. Is there something you need?" He had to get himself out of this mood, as Lydia was not the first to worry about him. The only person he talked to about these kinds of things were Kodlak, but he's been dead for some time now. Slain by the so called righteous silver hand.

"No, I'm about to head to Falkreath to gather supplies if you need anything" Lydia asked, a bit unsure.

"Please, let me do it" he replied, "I could use the fresh air and Jarl Siddgeir wanted to see me about something anyways". He had hoped not to sound like he was pleading, like a child hoping to play out after dark. Lydia's frown seemed to deepen as she took notice of this.

"Alright I suppose, I will gather ingredients from the garden in the meantime, take care of yourself my thane" she answered as he walked out the door.

"Always" he called as he left his home and started down the trail towards Falkreath.

The Jarl hadn't notified him of anything in quite a while other than a giant he put a bounty on which Arthius easily dispersed of. He just needed an excuse to leave his own home without Lydia being concerned or joining along. He just needed to be alone for a little while. He knew the Dominion would be kicking his door in any one of these days since there's still belief that he was the one who crashed the thalmor's little party (which he did but they have no proof).And he knew Ulfric's temper wouldn't be held down for much longer. He never really picked a side in the war between the empire and the stormcloaks, but he felt that if Ulfric won, he would start a second great war and pull all of Skyrim into it. Ulfric would have to be dealt with eventually but Arthius is hoping it won't end with Ulfric's head on a silver platter. That being said, he didn't agree with the empire either. He always assumed the Dominion would want something but he wasn't expecting the ability to punish the people of skyrim for worshipping talos, even if he didn't worship the Divines himself.

The walk to Falkreath was uneventful but he enjoyed living in this part of skyrim because of the seasonal changes. Winter brought snow, covering the land in pure white showing off skyrim's true weather. Spring brings out the beautiful colors of nature and wild game to hunt, even if the Jarl kills most of them. The walk reminded him of when he first walked to Riverwood from the destruction of Helgen, even if he didn't appreciate it at the time. The birds chirped and the only disturbance was the regular clunk from his steel plate armor as he walked the trail. He always preferred steel plate even though he was offered ebony as steel appeared nobler, as ebony made him appear as some sort of villain, and he didn't need that appearance since most people fear him as because of what he is. He wields Meridia's Dawnbreaker sword in one hand and Peryite's Spellbreaker shield in the other, and though he only wears it in battle to avoid frightening the citizens of Skyrim, he hides his features the Masque of Clavicus Vile. Arthius always had an interest in the daedric princes even if some are evil like Molag Bal or Mehrunes Dagon.

As he walked into Falkreath, he heard screams and someone shout "VAMPIRES!"

" Just great" Arthius cursed to himself as he unsheathed his weapons. "Just what I need today".

**AN: Well, there's my first chapter in this series. Pease review and let me know of any errors involving lore. I will try to extend the chapters as this was more or less testing myself. Thank you for reading.**


	2. A new adventure

**Quick-note. Thank you to Hellfire44 for pointing out some mistakes in the last chapter. Please let me know as soon as you see them so I can fix any mistakes I made. Onwards.**

Arthius turned around to see two vampires and two thralls attacking Falkreath, three males one woman. Breton by their appearances. A few guards were already on the attack so Arthius quickly joined the battle. He ran towards one of the males with his sword held above his head as he was about to strike down on the creature. The vampire took notice of this and quickly swung up his dwarven war axe to deflect the strike. The impact barely shook the vampire but the flame bursting from the sword made it wince in pain. Arthius put his boot up to the vampire's stomach and kicked back. The vampire hissed in anger as it charged up an ice spike spell to send at Arthius, but Arthius rushed it and dodged the spike as it was shot at him. He then thrust his sword through the vampire's chest, and let it fall to the ground dead. He turned to see one of the male thralls dead on the ground while the last vampire and her thrall were holding their own against the guards.

Arthius shouted "MOVE BACK!" and the guards quickly obeyed knowing already who he was. The vampire and her thrall turned to see who gave the order but couldn't react fast enough to get out of harm's way.

"YOL TOOR SHUL"

The vampire and her thrall were engulfed in flame from Arthius' shout and their screams were muffled by the flames as they were roasted alive. Arthius watched as their bodies roasted in the flames, savoring his kill and…craving more.

Arthius shook himself from his thoughts. _"No, don't go back to that now"_ he thought. The guards cheered amongst themselves as Arthius tried to gather his thoughts._ "Don't let it control you like it did before_" he thought to himself,_ "remember what Kodlak told you"._ As he was thinking, one of the local guards approached him.

"Damn bloodsuckers, I hear they've been attacking some of the other holds same as this one". Arthius just nodded, not truly listening to what the guard had to say. "I hear they're reforming the Dawnguard. Vampire hunters or something, in the old fort near Riften. Might consider joining up myself, better than staying here and waiting for them to attack us again". This got Arthius' attention.

"What fort are you talking about?" Arthius asked.

"It's in dayspring canyon, just down the road from Riften you'll see an opening in the mountain side. Can't miss it" the guard replied.

Arthius pondered this for a moment. _"Well, there's nothing else to do", _Arthius thought. He began back up the road to his house as he heard the guards arguing over who has to clean the mess of bodies.

A few minutes later, Arthius stepped through the doors of Lakeview manor.

"Is that you my thane?" Lydia asked.

"Yes it's me Lydia" Arthius answered "Please gather me supplies for a few days, I have to travel to Riften".

"Why does Jarl Siddgeir want you to go to Riften?" Lydia asked.

Arthius paused, like a child caught in the act. "I…didn't speak with the Jarl, there was a vampire attack". "_Maybe I can avoid a damn lecture from my own housecarl", _he thought.

"Are you alright?" she asked with concern.

"I'm standing here aren't I?" he replied.

"What business do you have in Riften?" Lydia asked, ignoring his remark.

"A group of vampire hunters are forming something called the Dawnguard in a fort near Riften, I figure I should help out" he replied.

"You can never exclude yourself from anything involving danger, can you my thane?" Lydia asked sarcastically as she began packing food, potions and other supplies he might need in a small sack.

"Not as long as there's people in need of help" he replied with a smirk, to which Lydia rolled her eyes.

"Our mighty hero…".

Arthius arrived in Riften about three days later, stopping by Whiterun to check in on the companions. He and Vilkas sparred some in the dining hall where Arthius soon found himself sent through a table. Though Arthius is a better warrior, he still can't surpass Vilkas' strength. Aela reported all notifications she felt he needed to hear as he basically left her in charge as he is absent most days, but he still travels to Whiterun when a companion needs their harbinger's guidance. He and Farkas spent the night drinking mead and trading stories of what's happened since they last spoke. Though many believe Farkas to be an idiot, Arthius acknowledges that he just follows his brother's insight and Arthius came to respect this about him.

Arthius stopped by Riften to check in on the guild and see how Brynjolf is handling being the temporary guild master while he's away.

"It'd take all the gold in Tamriel to keep me in charge of these idiots much longer, Arthius" Brynjolf stated. "I can't go one day without hearing Vex ramble on about how she deserves more of a pay, or Niruin trying to shoot a damn book out of my hands every time he gets the chance".

"That's ridiculous!" Arthius responded. "You're a thief, there's never enough gold to keep you satisfied" Arthius stated smiling, as Brynjolf responded by breaking into a fit of laughter.

"Ah, it's good to have you back, mate. Keeping the family together and all that" Brynjolf stated.

"Speaking of family, how's Karliah been?" Arthius asked. He hasn't spoken to her since the day he left to read the elder scroll almost two years ago.

"Bringing honor to the thieves guild my fellow Nightingale" Karliah spoke from the shadows, scaring every fiber of Arthius' being. As Karliah stepped out of the shadows in her nightingale armor, Arthius found himself grinning ear to ear as he watched the beautiful woman appear before him. There was a time when Arthius wanted nothing but to have her, but that was when he was young and foolish. _"Well, YOUNGER" _he thought. He now understands the love she had for Gallus and refuses to let his own lust allow him to overlook it.

"What brings you back?" Karliah asked. She always had a stern yet subtle voice so Arthius could never understand what she's truly thinking.

"I'm on my way to a fort nearby, vampire hunters of some sort that call themselves the Dawnguard" Arthius replied.

"Eager to save Skyrim once again are we? You weren't so happy the last time you returned from something like this" Brynjolf stated. Arthius couldn't exactly disagree with what Brynjolf said considering he spent three months searching for Alduin before realizing he was nowhere in Skyrim or Sovangarde. He basically secluded himself from everyone he knew because he thought of himself as a failure.

"This is just a small issue that needs dealing with, that's all" Arthius told him. He was hoping it to be more than that, a little adventure wouldn't hurt after all.

After saying farewell to his fellow Nightingales, Arthius left Riften, not trying to spend the night in the most corrupt city in Skyrim. Well, unless of course you count the daedra worshipping town of Rorikstead but that was just a rumor after all. He arrived at the entrance to dayspring canyon in the early evening. When he stepped inside he almost gasped aloud. The inside of the canyon was beautiful. Flowers blooming as a waterfall poured from above to the crystal clear lake below. It was truly one of Skyrim's hidden gems. As he walked down the path he noticed a young man standing awkwardly looking up the path. The boy was a whelp of a man wearing a green tunic and blonde hair that went to his shoulders. He was imperial by the looks of it and Arthius noticed he was equipped with an old axe for cutting wood. Was this supposed to be a member of the mighty vampire slayers he's heard about?

"Excuse me" Arthius called out.

The man looked towards Arthius and said "Oh, hey there! You here to join the Dawnguard too?"

Arthius was slightly relieved hearing that this boy was not representing the Dawnguard.

"Yes I am" Arthius stated clearly

"Alright"said the man" Truth is, I've never done anything like this before hope you don't mind if I walk up with you".

Arthius had to restrain himself to not roll his eyes at the man's request. The lad might as well go back home to his parents. He looked like he had no will to fight and would die quickly anyways if he did. Arthius hoped he was wrong about the lad as Vilkas was wrong about him.

"I see no reason why not" Arthius stated with as much control as he could muster.

"Thank you. Hey, uh, please don't tell Isran I was too afraid to meet him by myself. Not the best first impressions for a vampire hunter, I guess. My names Agmaer by the way" Agmaer said.

"Arthius" Arthius replied._ "Vampire hunter? Is that what you call yourself?" _Arthius thought.

"You've probably killed lots of vampires, huh? I'm sure Isran will sign you right sure he'll take me. I hope so." Agmaer continued.

"Hmm" was all that Arthius could muster out. The boy was already afraid and it's not even the vampires. "_What kind of fool decides to leave his home to go to war with absolutely no confidence in himself? Does the lad even know how to wield a weapon, let alone a fire enchanted one?"_ Arthius couldn't help but try and ignore him until they reach the fort. As they continued down the path they came upon a massive castle looking brand new by the looks of it.

"This must be it, fort Dawnguard…wow. Bigger than I expected" Agmaer said.

Arthius nodded, as even the college of Winter hold would envy this structure. It was massive enough to home a city. As they approached the entrance, a man in what appeared to be custom leather approached them.

"New recruits?" he asked. Arthius and Agmaer nodded. "Go on inside, Isran will decide if you've got what it takes.

"_Thank the divines, hopefully this will be the last he sees of this pathetic excuse of a hunter." _Arthius thought to himself as they stepped inside he noticed it wasn't as good looking as the outside had been. The walls were crumbling and there were large cobwebs all around the room. He saw two men standing in the middle of the room. One was a bald, older Nord dressed in white robes. A vigilant of Stendarr by the looks of it. The other man was a Redgaurd dressed in the same armor as the man outside. He had a shaved head and a rough goatee on his chin. He had dark features with light brown eyes and appeared to be in his late fifties. A warrior like Arthius by the look of it with a Warhammer strapped to his back. Arthius himself had a slight tan but still light. He had a clean shaven face with a scar going down from his left eyebrow to the side of his face. A scar given to him by Alduin himself. He had short dark brown hair and a toned and muscular body due to his large amount of combat experience.

The two men were arguing by the looks of it and Arthius stepped forward to listen in.

"…stirred up the vampires against you, you come begging for my protection". The man that Arthius presumed to be Isran stated. _"A vigilant of Stendarr needing help? That's the first I've heard of it"_ Arthius thought to himself. Though the vigilants weren't all great warriors, most of them have hunted down daedra and destroyed them, so having problems with vampires made Arthius question how big of a problem the vampires have become.

The vigilant replied "Isran, Carcette is dead. The Hall of Vigilants…everyone…they're all dead. "This took Arthius by surprise. The great hall of the vigilants…wiped out by vampires.

"I'm sorry, I tried to warn you, all of you" Isran turned to Arthius." So who are you, what do you want?" he asked.

"I'm here to join the Dawnguard". Arthius stated.

"Got a fire in your belly to kill vampires eh? Good for you, but look around. There's not much to join yet. I've only started rebuilding the order". Isran stated.

"What would you have me do?" Arthius asked.

"I need someone out in the field taking the fight to the vampires. The vigilants were telling me about this cave they've been investigating. Seems to be related to the recent attacks" Isran said.

"What's the cave called?" Arthius asked.

"Dimhollow Crypt".

Arthius arrived outside the cave two days later, rushing to arrive there early on in hopes to stop the vampires plans. On his way he came upon the Hall of Vigilants, or what was left of it anyways. The building was left in ruins littered with dead vigilants and vampires alike. There were some canine creatures that Arthius didn't recognize but was sure that they weren't natural. The creatures looked like a mix between a bat and a wolf with a lot of children's nightmares thrown into the mix.

As he entered the cave he heard voices speaking. He quickly used his muffle spell and crept closer, trying to hear what they were saying.

A man's voice spoke up "These vigilants never know when to give up. I thought we taught them enough of a lesson at their hall". Arthius peeked around the corner to see two figures in vampiric armor. _ "Vampires" _Arthius thought to himself. The rage building inside of him as he took aim with the crossbow he was given by Isran.

"To come here alone…a fool like all the rest of them" the female said. "_I suppose that makes me a fool then"_ Arthius thought as he released the bolt, It flew through the air with great speed and struck the male through the head immediately ending his undead life. The female turned quickly towards the sound of the crossbow and saw Arthius crouching there. She hissed as she unleashed a ray of red light at Arthius. It struck him and he immediately felt weaker, the spell was draining him. He quickly hid behind the pillar he was crouched beside while he equipped his sword and shield, preparing himself to charge. He was surprised when a beast pounced on him from the side, he quickly ducked making the creature fly over him. He turned in the creature's direction, staring right at its ugly face. It lunged again but Arthius was ready for it and side stepped bringing his sword down on the nape of the beast. It whined quickly before it fell dead on the icy floor. Arthius waited until he could hear the vampire and learn its location, but after a few moments he still heard nothing.

"LASS YAH NIR" Arthius whispered as he saw the vampire's life essence through the pillar as it was slowly sneaking up on Arthius with a dagger in hand. Once it got close enough, Arthius jumped out at it and sliced its head clean off its body. Arthius sheathed his weapons and walked along stumbling upon the vampires head. He chuckled as he kicked the head far into the distance_. "Fools to think they could even stand a chance against me._" Arthius thought.

Arthius continued down the cave killing off countless vampires and draugrs, and even a giant frostbite spider. He soon entered through a door to a large cavern. He heard the voices of multiple men speaking as he passed by some very ominous looking gargoyle statues.

"…so go now, meet your beloved Stendarr "said one of the voices. Arthius looked over the edge to see a vampire strike down a man who was tied by the wrists who appeared to be a vigilant. This enraged Arthius as he aimed his crossbow at one of the three vampires.

"Are you sure that was wise Lokil? He may have-"she was cut off by a bolt striking her through the head.

"No," Arthius stated" it wasn't"

"Ah, another vigilant? No matter, you will soon join your friend here." Lokil smiled, baring his fangs.

Arthius quickly charged the two as they hit him with their life drain spells which he blocked using his Spellbreaker shield. He pushed onwards, fueled by rage. The other female swung her sword at him which he parried, he then struck her in the head with his shield, stunning her. Then he stabbed her through the chest, Arthius grinned maniacally as he kicked her off his flaming blade to the hard stone floor where she would die soon after. Lokil charged forward with his orcish sword.

"ZUN HAAL VIIK" Arthius shouted, sending Lokil's blade and only means of defense over the edge of the platform they were standing on. Arthius dropped his shield and punched Lokil hard in the face, knocking him to one knee. Arthius then pressed his sword against Lokil's face, savoring the sound of Lokil screaming in agony as his flesh was being burnt. Arthius then repeatedly bashed Lokil's face with the blunt of his sword until it was a bloody mess. As Lokil was on both knees barely keeping consciousness, Arthius whispered to him.

"Go now, meet your beloved Molag Bal, filth "And then he was stabbed through the back of the neck slowly, feeling the sword burn every fiber of his being as he screamed in agony like a mad man until he couldn't scream anymore, and died. Arthius felt the rage inside him winning, and he was enjoying it. The vigilants were protectors of skyrim and these creatures slayed them like vermin. At least that's what he held onto as an excuse for his actions.

He looked around the platform noticing a button in the middle. He knew they were searching for something, maybe it had the answer. He pushed down on the button and a spike came out piercing his hand. He cried in pain as pillars reflecting some sort of purple glow rose around him. Using the little restoration he knew and most of the healing potions he had, he was able to heal his hand with only little pain remaining. He glanced around the room following the trail of purple light coming from the pillars with some sort of chalice on top of them. He learned all about these puzzles from his time with the thieves guild. He soon placed all the pillars in order and the room began to shake. The ground surrounding the middle lowered as a large stone monolith rose from the ground. Arthius approached it with caution and inspected it. He carefully pushed the wall of it. The wall slid down to reveal…a woman. She wore ancient royal armor of some sort and had black hair braided into neat buns behind her head making her appear as a princess. Arthius thought she was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. She began to fall forward and Arthius stepped forward catching her and holding her until she got her balance, she then looked up at him, and he gasped out loud.

She had the most beautiful…glowing eyes.

**I'd like to thank BD99 for the shoutout. If you haven't already, check her out, she's one of my biggest inspirations for writing this.**

**That's chapter two, I was originally planning on splitting this up but I figured this would make up for the last chapter being so short. I hope you guys enjoyed Arthius' little rage moments as much as I enjoyed writing them. Please let me know what you thought of the chapter and be sure to alert me of any mistakes involving lore as soon as you come across them.**

**Thank you.**


	3. Journey home

Arthius stared at the woman in front of him removing his masque. She blinked at him a few times.

"Unh…" the woman groaned, Arthius could only imagine how long she was sealed in that tomb. "Where is…who sent you here" the woman asked._ "What a beautiful voice…"_ Arthius dismissed the thought as he replied.

"A man named Isran, were you expecting someone else?" Arthius asked as he glanced over at the mess of bodies.

"I was expecting someone…like me at least "the woman replied.

Arthius smirked at this," You mean like them" he said as he nodded towards the bodies.

The woman glanced over, her expression still calm "Yes, but a little more alive…or whatever you'd call it"

Arthius had heard enough of what this creature had to say. He unsheathed his sword and grabbed her by the scruff of her shirt, placing the tip of his blade against her mid-section.

"Give me a reason not to push this through you completely" Arthius said with a growl.

Still with the same calm expression, the vampire said" Because that would be very unwise now wouldn't it?" It was then that Arthius noticed she had an elven dagger pressed to his throat. As he glanced down the woman grabbed his wrist that held the sword and pushed it to the side with great strength, Arthius mirrored her actions with the dagger. They stood there in silence, not breaking the looks at each other as they held each other's weapons at bay. It was then that the woman broke the silence.

"Look, if we end up killing each other than all you've done is kill another vampire, and all I'd do is kill some arrogant bastard thinking he's a god himself. If there's people after me, don't you think there's something bigger going on here?" she spoke without pleading, and Arthius could tell she was in no mood for this. That's when he noticed an elder scroll on her back.

"Is that an elder scroll?" he asked as he sheathed his weapon.

The woman suddenly grew tense." Yes, it is, and it's mine" she said as she crossed her arms.

"Then try and be careful with it" Arthius said plainly. The woman's expression changed to an amused one.

"Ha. Nothing can destroy an elder scroll. Why don't you worry about protecting your hide, and let me worry about my things" she said with an annoyed tone.

"I meant don't be stupid enough to lose it, considering that you were foolish enough to be sealed away in a tomb" Arthius stated with some venom. Her expression turned back into a calm one.

"Thank you for your help, I'll just be on my way" she said as she began to walk away.

Arthius just stood there, wondering what he should say. Then he heard a large cracking sound. He turned to see one of the Gargoyle statues come to life in front of the vampire girl.

"Damn" he said as he picked up his shield and ran towards the beast. It lunged itself at the girl, but Arthius knocked it from the side as he charged with his shield. It was knocked back but got its footing rather quickly and roared at Arthius. Arthius readied himself as he heard a large cracking sound behind him as another gargoyle rose from its slumber. Arthius quickly glanced behind him as the first gargoyle lunged. Arthius was tackled to the ground, trying to hold back the snapping jaws of the beast. He pushed it back slightly, but then it clawed him across his left arm, tearing his steel gauntlets and leaving a gash.

"Damnit!" Arthius shouted as he heard the second gargoyle lunge at the girl. _"Try not to die"_ Arthius thought to himself as he shouted.

"FUS" Arthius shouted at the beast knocking it back as Arthius freed himself and readied himself for the gargoyle's attack. The beast roared loudly as it charged forward. Arthius readied to dodge but the beast was just too quick. When Arthius ducked, it followed and slammed him in the back. Arthius fell down but quickly recovered and avoided the gargoyle's pounce. _"All right, let's see you catch this you ugly bastard" _Arthius thought as he held his sword out pointing at the gargoyle.

"WULD" Arthius shouted as he was thrust forward with great speed. He found himself in front of the gargoyle with his sword thrust through completely. The gargoyle roared in the face of Arthius, blood splattering his face, and then it became silent as its lifeless body fell on the floor. Arthius looked down at it for a moment before stomping its skull until a fang fell out. He crouched down and picked it up. "_Trophy" _Arthius thought to himself. He then realized that he hadn't heard anything from the girl since he heard the gargoyle attack. He quickly spun around to see something he couldn't believe. The gargoyle lay dead, impaled by ice spikes and a slit throat. The girl didn't have a scratch on her and was simply waiting with her hands on her hips, meanwhile Arthius' left arm had been slashed and there was a dent in his back. They just stared at each other for a quick moment, the surprised look on Arthius' face never leaving him.

"Look" the girl began "how about we worry about getting out of this cave before we decide to split up?" Arthius simply nodded. The girl was about to say something else but something caught her eye and her face froze. Arthius followed her eyes to his bleeding left arm. Arthius immediately readied himself. The girl looked back up at him with a look of regret in her eyes.

"I'm sorry…being locked away for so long sort of…makes you miss out on meals…" she said with sorrow in her tone as she looked away.

Arthius relaxed slightly seeing she wasn't going to do anything." Well…let's hope you can wait a bit longer" Arthius said plainly as he sheathed his weapon and picked up his shield.

Trying to change the mood, Arthius asked "So how long were you in there anyways?" he asked as they continued down the cave.

"That's hard to tell, who is skyrim's high king?" she asked

Arthius paused "That's…actually a matter of debate. There's a war going on to decide" he replied.

"Civil war, good to know it hasn't gotten boring since I've been away" she said making Arthius chuckle." So who are the candidates?" she asked.

"Well…the rebellion favor a man named Ulfric Stormcloak who murdered the previous high king" this got him a wild look from the girl, he ignored it and continued on." And the empire support the late high king's wife, Elisif the fair" Arthius told her. She pondered this for a moment.

"I have no idea who either of those people are…wait, what empire?" she asked a bit confused.

"The empire…from Cyrodiil" Arthius carefully replied.

"Cyrodiil is the seat of an empire!?" she asked. "Gods, I must have been down there longer than I expected, longer than we planned at least "she said to herself.

"Longer than who planned?" Arthius asked.

She looked at him as though he read her mind, as if she didn't say it aloud. She ignored his question and continued walking. About a half hour later, they left the cave and were standing outside the mouth of the cave.

"Well, thank you for all your help" she said. "I'll find my way from here". She began down the path as Arthius watched her go until he saw no trace of her.

"_Back to Isran I suppose" _Arthius thought to himself. He began down the trail and soon found himself at the bottom of the trail. As he began to walk away, he thought he heard something. He looked around but saw nothing.

"LAAS YAH NIR" he whispered as he saw a figures life force behind a tree not too far up the mountain path. He approached it and peeked around the tree. The young vampire girl was pressed against the tree slightly peeking over the side of the tree opposite to Arthius.

"Are you waiting fo-"Arthius was cut off as she quickly grabbed him and pinned him to the tree.

Her face became shocked when she saw who it was she had pinned, and immediately let him go. Arthius just shrugged it off as he continued on with his question.

"Are you waiting for someone?" Arthius asked with an annoyed tone.

She gulped as she searched for an answer "I…I was just waiting until you left" she replied.

"Why?" Arthius asked with a more serious tone.

"To…try and find my way home…" she replied with a nervous look on her face.

"Where are you trying to go?" He asked with a softer tone.

She looked at him cautiously" my family used to live on an island to the west of solitude…I would guess they still do" she replied.

"_If I don't receive Mara's blessing from this I swear on Arkay himself…"_ Arthius thought. He began walking up the road and turned back to see her just standing there.

"Well come on" he said impatiently "We're not getting there sooner by just standing around"

She looked at him questionably, but soon started walking beside him.

"My name is Serana by the way" she said.

"Arthius" he replied holding his hand out towards her "pleasure to meet you Serana" he said with a smile.

Serana smiled shaking his hand "Likewise"

They travelled for a few more hours as they found themselves in the woods of Solitude, a day or two later and they'll be there. Arthius found a clearing he liked and told Serana to stop.

"This is where we'll set up camp for the night" Arthius told her. She simply nodded and went to sit down beside a tree to rest. As Arthius began to remove his armor and wear the spare tunic he had in his bag, Arthius noticed Serana staying quiet the entire time.

"How are you holding?" he asked plainly as he laid out his bedroll.

"I'm fine" she replied quickly.

"You're sure? You've been quiet for a while now" he said

"I said I'm fine" she said sternly.

Arthius stopped pestering her and continued to set up for the night. As he slid into his bedroll he thought more about Alduin's disappearance and wondered where in the divines he could have gone. He continued to think about this until he drifted off to sleep.

_"Why didn't you do anything!? He'd still be alive if you only tried you bastard…I could give a damn about skyrim and her people, that's as much as they've cared about me…No! I'm saying I'm a damn god among men…He's all I have" _Arthius opened his eyes as he was drenched in sweat. He gasped for air as he looked around. He saw two gold orbs staring down at him. He grabbed Serana and pulled her to the ground and got on top of her.

"You were going to feed from me" Arthius said glaring at her.

"Arthius-"

"YOU WERE GOING TO FEED FROM ME!" Arthius shouted at her.

"I was ju- I wasn't thinking, Arthius…" she said panicking" Arthius, I'm so sorry"

Even in the black of night Arthius could see the sorrow on her face. Arthius' usual rage somehow died inside of him as he saw the true sorrow she felt for what she was about to do.

"Come on…we need to find some stupid bastard so you can eat him" Arthius stated as he put on his armor and started down the road. A few minutes later, he heard Serana following him hoping she had pulled herself together. _"Says the man who loathed for three months over a technical win"_ Arthius pressed onward. A few hours later they came upon a bandit camp as he heard a woman scream. He quickly hid behind a tree as he peeked at the situation at hand. There was a woman crying as a man was holding her down to watch as another man was on his knees pleading for the woman's life to a bandit dressed in dwarven armor._ "Probably his wife"_ Arthius thought to himself. As he was about to pull out his crossbow, the man was struck down by one of the bandits with a steel greatsword. The woman screamed as she was dragged away by the man who just killed her husband, into a small building. Arthius' rage soon took control of him.

"Arthius, think about what you're about to do. Don't just rush in and-"Serana started.

"Too damn late." Arthius shot a bolt through one of the bandit's heads and loaded another bolt before rushing into the camp. There was a total of seven bandits, five men two women, and Arthius was ready to kill them all. He shot another bolt hitting a man in the chest knocking him down. Arthius equipped his sword and shield and readied himself for the attack. A man in fur armor lunged forward with a mace but Arthius simply blocked it and stabbed the man through the stomach and kicked him away. The second attacker was cut short when an ice spike struck her through the chest. Serana joined Arthius' side with her dagger in one hand and an ice spike in another.

"Five on two, not bad" Arthius stated with excitement. Serana raised the dead woman as her zombie.

"Five on three seems fairer" Serana said as she glanced around the five bandits now surrounding them.

"But not as fun" Arthius said as he lunged forward clashing swords with a man in steel armor. Serana shot a spike at one of the men to which he ducked. She kicked him hard in the face and he stumbled backwards as the woman charged Serana. Serena's zombie struck at her with her steel war axe. Arthius ducked a swing from the man's blade and tackled him to the ground. The man tried to stab Arthius, but he grabbed the man's arm and forced it towards him. Arthius then pushed down sending the man's own sword through the bottom of his head, Serana shot another ice spike at the man to which he once again dodged. He grabbed her arms and forced them upwards as he got close to her face.

"You're head's going to make a fine piece to my little collection sweetheart" he growled. Serana became furious and opened her mouth revealing her fangs. The man gasped in terror as she hissed at him, and then sunk her fangs into the man's neck drinking his blood. Arthius turned around and saw that Serena's zombie was dispatched, and the woman was charging towards her.

"Serana" Arthius shouted. Serana quickly turned to her oncoming attacker and let the man drop dead on the floor. She sent a spike flying at the woman and it struck her in the shoulder. Two bandits remained as Arthius charged the smaller one and swung down at him. The small man tried to parry but Arthius sword went straight through and sank into the man's shoulder, the larger man who was an orc swung his Warhammer down as Arthius quickly moved out of the way. He charged the man but was struck to the side easily by the orc. The orc then raised his hammer but was shot in the chest with an ice spike, and Arthius took the chance to kick his knee knocking the orc to the ground. Arthius stood up looking down at the orc for a moment before slicing its head off. Serana joined him cautiously as she felt the rage radiating from him. They both turned when they heard a small grunt of pain. The woman was on the ground holding her shoulder. Arthius walked over to her with a calm expression, then put his boot to her throat and pressed down until he heard a satisfying crack as her neck broke. Serana watched, not in fear, but more in interest. Arthius made his way over to the small building, opening the door. The woman they saw being dragged off was huddled into the corner sobbing, wearing tattered and torn clothing. She looked to be no older than thirty with curved, long, brown hair that went past her shoulders. The bandit leader was sitting in a chair looking at her, he turned his head and saw Arthius standing in the doorway. He quickly stood up and unsheathed his greatsword.

"Well then, come at me" the man said angrily.

"Let her go first" Arthius said as he turned towards the woman in the corner. The bandit looked over to her and smirked.

"You've served your purpose, now leave" he said to the woman, She quickly scrambled to her feet and rushed past Arthius out the door. They both watched her leave before the bandit spoke up.

"Well then, what are you waiting for?" the man asked. Arthius simply backed out through the door, and Serana entered the house.

"Oh I see, you want a taste of what she got?" the man smirked as he looked Serana up and down. Serana closed the door, locked it, and turned back towards the man revealing her fangs. The man jumped back in fear as Serana lunged at him.

An hour later, Serana exited the house with her belly full. She saw Arthius crouched down beside the woman as she cried over her husband's corpse. Serana began to walk over but Arthius waved her off. He got up and started to gather his sword and shield.

"I'm sorry for your loss. I wish I could have helped him" Arthius stated. The woman stopped crying and turned towards Arthius.

"Did you see him be killed?" the woman asked. Arthius nodded.

"You watched as they cut my husband down and you did nothing!? How dare you!?Why didn't you do anything!? He'd still be alive if you only tried you bastard!" The woman shouted at Arthius.

Serana spoke up with venom in her voice "we just saved your damn life, how could you-"Arthius motioned her to stop talking.

"He could still be alive!" the woman shouted again.

"He could be, but he's not, and I'm sorry" Arthius replied. She went back to crying at his side and cursing the divines. Arthius and Serana continued down the path. A few minutes later, Arthius asked "So how was your meal?"

"Enjoyable I suppose, the man must have been a little girl in a past life or something to scream like that" Serana replied.

Arthius chuckled, "How does it taste to you, I mean how does blood taste to vampires?" Arthius asked.

"Bitter yet sweet. Like sweetened ale." Serana replied" some tastes much better than others though"

They arrived at the coast the next day and found a small boat that led to the island.

"Well, this is it" Serana said plainly.

"Yes it is, good luck with your family" Arthius stated as he walked away._ "Don't leave her" _he thought to himself. He glanced behind and saw her watching him leave, standing awkwardly as though she didn't know where she was. Arthius turned to her.

"Would you like me to take you to the island?" he asked politely.

"Yes" she replied a little too soon for it to be subtle, and Arthius smiled at this. He sat in the boat and helped Serana in as well. He began rowing at a good pace occasionally looking up at her. Every time he did, she seemed to be looking anywhere but where they were headed. They soon reached the Island.

"You didn't exactly say you lived in a castle" Arthius said as he stared at the construction.

"Yeah…home sweet home"

**AN: And that was the third chapter. Please leave a review as those are what keep me goin. Also leave me thoughts on which side Arthius should join and why. Thanks for reading,**

**Thank you to Nomad-117 for being the first person to favorite my story, it means a lot.**


	4. Mistakes

They stood outside the castle gate as Arthius examined the castle._ "Definitely fits ancient vampires" _he thought. Serana grabbed his shoulder to get his attention.

"Hey, so…before we go in there…" She started.

"What is it?" Arthius asked with some concern._ "Now isn't the time to tell me that I'll be devoured the minute I step foot into your home"_ he thought.

"Nothing drastic, I wanted to thank you for getting me this far. After we get in there, I'm going to go my own way for a while. I think…" she said with a questioning tone." I know your friends would probably want to kill everything in here. I'm hoping you can control yourself in there." She said with a small emphasis when she said "you".

"What do you mean?" Arthius asked.

Serana gave him a look that said _"You're joking right?"_." Back at the camp, I saw the look in your eyes as you beheaded the orc. And in the cave, I watched you stomp on the head of the dead gargoyle. Not to mention Lokil's face…" she stated.

"Alright, I get it" Arthius stated putting his hands up as a gesture of defeat.

"Once we're inside, just keep quiet for a bit. Let me take the lead" She said simply as she approached the gate. Arthius followed as he heard a man shout to open the gate. Arthius and Serana entered the gate and pushed open the doors to the large castle and stepped inside. An older high elf with white braided hair looked up as Arthius and Serana stepped through.

"How dare you trespass here!" he started but he stopped when he saw Serana." Wait…Serana? Is it truly you? I cannot believe my eyes! "The elf turned around towards a small flight of stairs overlooking a mess hall. "My lord! Everyone! Serana has returned!" he stated loudly.

Serana turned to Arthius "I guess I'm expected" she said with a smirk.

"It appears so" Arthius said as he lost himself in her eyes._" Gods, she's beautiful"_ Arthius concentrated. "_Not the best time when I'm in the home of one of the most powerful vampire clans in skyrim"_ he thought.

A man in ancient armor similar to Serana stepped in between the two tables as the other vampires fed from thralls. _"Disgusting"_ Arthius thought to himself. The man had black braided hair and a small beard covering his upper lip and chin. He was a broad man so Arthius could only assume he was strong as an orc, and even stronger due to him being a vampire. Arthius assumed him to be Serena's father.

"My long-lost daughter returns to me at last. I trust you have my elder scroll?" the man asked. Arthius was slightly taken off by how little affection the man felt for his daughter, but shrugged it off seeing he was a murderer. He still felt a little sorrow for Serana though.

"After all these years, that's the first thing you ask me? Yes, I have the scroll" Serana responded, not showing any emotions towards her father.

"Of course I'm delighted to see you, my daughter. Must I really say the words aloud?" He said "ah, if only your traitor mother were here, I would let her watch this reunion before putting her head on a spike" the man stated. _"These vampires are more corrupted than I thought" _Arthius thought to himself.

"Now tell me, who is this stranger you have brought into our hall?" he asked

"This is my savior, the one who freed me" she stated. He turned towards Arthius and inspected him for a moment before speaking.

"For my daughter's safe return, you have my gratitude. Now, what is your name?" he asked.

"My name is Arthius" Arthius responded carefully. "And you are?"

"I am Harkon, lord of this court. By now, my daughter will have told you what we are." Harkon stated.

Arthius held his anger not to insult Harkon." You're vampires" He said calmly.

Harkon scowled at this "Not just vampires. We are among the oldest and most powerful vampires in skyrim" he said proudly "For centuries we lived here, far from the cares of the world. All that ended when my wife betrayed me and stole away that which I valued most "Serana looked away, as if knowing he didn't mean her.

"So what now?" Arthius asked still cautiously.

"Well I think you deserve a reward for returning my daughter. There is but one gift I can give that is equal in value to the elder-scroll and my daughter" He said" I offer you my blood. Take it, and you will walk as a lion among sheep. Men will tremble at your approach, and you will never fear death again" Harkon said.

"And if I refuse?" Arthius asked with a bit of annoyance in his tone.

"Perhaps you still need convincing? Behold the power!" Harkon shouted as his body was shrouded in darkness. He emerged as a terrifying creature. He had talons, Grey skin and his face morphed into that of a bat's. It was a thing out of nightmares.

"THIS IS THE POWER THAT I OFFER" Harkon shouted.

"_With that kind of power I could be unstoppable!" _Arthius thought._ "But at what cost? No, I will not be one of them"_ Arthius decided with a vast amount of rage building in him.

"I refuse your gift Harkon" Arthius stated.

Harkon scowled at Arthius before transforming back to his normal form." If this were normal circumstances, I'd spare you. But this is no normal circumstance…Dragonborn" Harkon glared. Serana quickly faced Arthius with shocked eyes.

"Your…what?" Serana asked. Harkon laughed at this.

"Thank you as well, daughter, for bringing me a mighty champion. He will make a fine soldier" Harkon stated as he turned to the rest of his court.

Arthius quickly grabbed Serana and put his arm around, holding her in front of him.

"What are you-"Serana started but was cut off by Arthius.

"Everyone stay back!" He shouted as he started dragging Serana back towards the stairs.

"Unhand her!" Harkon growled at Arthius loudly as he began towards Arthius. Serana began to struggle as Arthius pulled out a special arrow given to him by Karliah. He then stabbed Serana in the side with it.

"Gah!" she winced in pain before the darkness over took her. Dropping the arrow, he quickly pulled out a scroll given to him by Phinis Gestor. He unleashed the scroll which conjured a demora lord in front of him which immediately attacked Harkon." _That should hold him off"_ Arthius thought as he picked up Serana over his shoulders and ran up the stairs, knocking the high elf out of the way.

"Close the gate!" He heard someone shout behind him. As he burst through the doors, he saw the gate falling before him.

"WULD" Arthius shouted as he was thrust forward to the other side of the gate. He began sprinting down the walkway and basically threw Serana on the boat as he began to paddle with all his might, going through several stamina bottles until they reached the coast. He picked up Serana and started running towards solitude. After about twenty minutes of non- stop sprinting, he laid Serana down and then sat down trying to catch his breath.

"DAMNIT" he shouted at the top of his lungs, banging into a tree until he couldn't feel his hand anymore. He looked over at the still unconscious Serana. "_How in the gods am I going to get to solitude!?"_ he thought. And then he had an idea. He closed his eyes and thought. "_Nightmother, send me your steed"_. He opened his eyes and looked around, waiting. About twenty minutes later he heard movement from the tree's and saw shadowmere approach him. As he was about to place Serana on top, he remembered that shadowmere was claimed to him alone, and would not allow other riders. Arthius picked up Serana and carried her while he rode on top of shadowmere.

A few hours later, Serana started to wake up. Arthius pulled on shadowmere's reins to stop. He slowly got off the horse and started putting Serana on her feet. She was a very wobbly and had to lean against Arthius completely.

"Careful now, your legs will stay loose for a few more-"Arthius was cut off as Serana used all of her strength she could muster to punch Arthius directly in the face. Arthius was sent crashing down to the snow covered ground and Serana followed, still too weak to stand on her own. Arthius lay on the ground, unconscious as Serana lay next to him.

"Damnit" she muttered to herself as she realized that she would have to drag him the rest of the way to solitude.

Arthius woke on a bed in a room. He slowly rose his head and looked around, seeing Serana sitting in a chair and reading a book in the corner. He slowly rose from the bed and put his feet to the floor.

"Good evening" Serana said plainly, eyes still on the book.

"Where are we?" Arthius asked.

"The inn in solitude. The…something skeever. "she replied.

"The winking skeever" Arthius informed her. She replied by flipping the page of the book.

"Do you mind explaining why you punched me?" Arthius asked with some anger in his voice.

Serana was silent for a moment before simply stating "To make up for the fact that you stabbed me"

"It's not my fault you were struggling" Arthius said.

Serana closed the book roughly and threw it on the drawer beside the bed." So it's my fault you decided to take me hostage!? How did you think I was going to react!?" she shouted at him.

"I took you hostage to escape the home that you wanted to enter so badly. You never told me your father was a maniacal leader of a clan of cannibalistic freaks! You should be grateful I got you out of there!" Arthius shouted back at her intending to strike a nerve.

"What in the divines makes you think I needed saving, you oblivious bastard? I was among my own, among my family, the people who care about me!" Serana screamed.

Arthius just smirked at this "Hmm…now who's the one being oblivious?" Serena's eyes glowed fiercely as she became furious. She lunged at Arthius and threw him against the wall. Arthius hit the wall with a thud and landed on his feet, he quickly ducked a punch and tackled Serana to the ground. Holding her arms down as he reached for his sword, only to find it missing from its sheathe. He looked back at Serana who now had a wicked smile on her face.

"Did you lose something?" she asked venomously. She then kneed Arthius in the side sending him toppling off of her. Both rose, and Serana pushed Arthius into a corner baring her fangs. She grabbed him by the hair and pulled his head to one side revealing his neck. She put her lips to it, savoring the pulse of blood rushing through his veins. As she opened her mouth to bite down, Arthius grabbed her hair and started slamming her head into the wall until she released him. He pushed himself out from the corner and turned back to see Serana hit him in the head with a tray that was on a desk nearby. Arthius fell back and landed with a thud cursing to himself as he looked up. Serana had a small gash on her head that she was covering with her hand. Arthius was about to say something but she kicked him in the side until she lost the strength to stand and fell on her backside. They stayed there in silence, Serana sitting with her head down beside Arthius laying on his back. There was no noise except Serana wiping away the occasional trace of blood or Arthius spitting some out of his mouth.

"I'm sorry" Arthius said in a sad tone. Serana slightly looked up before turning to him.

"Likewise" she said with a smile. She offered her hand and helped Arthius to his feet. Arthius slowly walked over to his bag and pulled out some cloth and a healing potion and handed it to Serana. She gladly took it and began to nurse her wound as Arthius put on his tunic. As he lied down on the bed, he thought about where they were going to go. Unsure that the Dawnguard wouldn't try and kill her, he decided that they should head to Whiterun and see what the circle thinks of all of it. He was brought out of his thoughts when Serana lied next to him and put her head on his shoulder saying nothing. Arthius didn't know what this meant, but he decided to accept it and not question it. "_It's not like you have any complaints"_ Arthius just let the thought pass, as he had no objections as they lied there together.

Arthius awoke to find Serana separated from him on the bed, he was a little disappointed but it meant he could get out without disturbing her. Arthius went downstairs and sat at the booth.

"Good morning" the innkeeper said "I assume you and your friend enjoyed your stay?" He said as he gave Arthius a wink. "_Well that explains why nobody bothered us" _Arthius thought to himself. He had some venison steak, two carrots, and a piece of bread. He ordered a bottle of black briar mead as he paid the man. Arthius walked back up to the room to find Serana inspecting her wound. _"Gods, that was foolish of us to fight"_ Arthius thought as he opened the door. She turned to him and offered a small smile.

"Good morning" she said, before putting the mirror down and putting on her hood.

Arthius simply nodded and went to gather his belongings.

"I'll be back shortly" Arthius told her before turning to the door.

"Wait, where are you going?" she asked

"I need a new set of armor, I'm going to see the blacksmith" Arthius replied.

"I'll come with you, I've been wanting to see the city" Serana said as she walked towards the door. On their walk to Beirand's forge, Serana told Arthius about how she imagined what Solitude would look like, and how she was surprised at how large the windmill actually is. Arthius enjoyed listening to her, he felt as though she missed out on life being kept in that dreary castle. Once he received the spare set of armor that Beirand kept for Arthius, they retrieved their weapons from the innkeeper and headed out of solitude. They soon arrived at the carriage and Arthius gestured Serana to get in.

"Can you take us to Whiterun?" Arthius asked the driver.

"Sure can, try and enjoy the ride" the driver said as he snapped the reigns.

A few minutes later, Serana asked "Why Whiterun?"

"I have a few friends there that I need to see" Arthius responded.

After an hour of silence, Arthius asked "So what was that with your father?"

Serana looked up at Arthius "Well…I suppose I should start at the beginning. Do you know how vampires were created?" She asked.

"Molag Bal correct?" Arthius answered.

"Exactly…" Serana began to tell Arthius the story of her family's destruction, and her father's obsession with a strange prophecy.

"To block out the sun…gods" Arthius said as he stared down.

"The only person I can think to talk to is my mother…but I haven't seen her since she locked me in that tomb" Serana said with a hint of bitterness.

"Have you ever considered curing yourself?" Arthius asked.

Serana looked up at him. "No, it may have torn my family apart but I've done too much to simply rid myself of it" Serana stated seriously.

"I'm sorry about your family" Arthius said changing the conversation.

"What about you, where are your parents?" Serana asked calmly.

Arthius looked her in the eyes before speaking. "They were killed shortly after having me"

"I'm sorry" Serana said "I know what that's like, I mean, not having your parents around"

This caused Arthius to give her a look, but dismissed it. "Yeah…"

They arrived in Whiterun the next morning, and after paying the driver, they walked through the gates of the busy city. He started walking towards jorrvaskr and noticed that Serana was gawking at almost everything she saw, which made Arthius smile. They were about to walk up the steps of jorrvaskr when Arthius noticed Serana was no longer at his side, he turned to see her staring at the gildergreen. He walked up beside her and looked at it as well.

"It's beautiful" Serana stated looking it up and down with a small smile on her face.

Arthius just watched her._ "Not as beautiful as you are"_ he thought. He's found himself thinking things like this more often, and can no longer dismiss them. Serana turned to him then, and smiled.

"So who are your friends we're going to meet?" she asked. Arthius tore himself from his thoughts.

"The companions" he said simply.

"Ah, the noble warriors of jorrvaskr. I'm excited to meet them" Serana said.

Arthius led her up the steps and pushed the doors open to jorrvaskr, just in time to see Njada send Torvar over a table as others cheered them on.

"Touch my ass again and you'll be sorry!" Njada said as she walked away.

Serana looked at Arthius who said nothing but pinched the bridge of his nose.

"So…these are the mighty companions huh?" She said as she crossed her arms and gave Arthius a smirk. "And you're their leader"

"The harbinger isn't technically a leader, he just gives guidance" Arthius explained.

"You keep telling yourself that" Serana said with a wink.

"I always do" Arthius said making Serana laugh. Arthius walked down the steps as Vilkas approached him.

"Greetings Harbinger" Vilkas said as he extended his hand out for Arthius to shake. As soon as he put his hand in Vilkas', Arthius placed his foot behind Vilkas and shoved him with his shoulder, sending Vilkas crashing to the floor. As the companions roared in laughter, Arthius crouched down beside him.

"Gather the circle and meet me in the underforge in five minutes" Arthius whispered.

He then got up and went over to Torvar and helped him up. He then gave him the bottle of black briar mead he held onto from solitude.

"Thought you might like this" Arthius said as he patted Torvar on the back.

"Ya' know…it's sort of difficult to preform my duties when I'm drunk" Torvar said.

"Were you going to do them anyways?" Arthius asked.

"No, but now I have an excuse" Torvar said. "Besides, I'm always drunk" Torvar said, making everyone burst out laughing again.

A few minutes later, Arthius and Serana joined Aela, Vilkas, and Farkas in the underforge.

"Why have you gathered us here harbinger?" Aela asked. "And who is this vampire you bring?"

"Please don't tell us you dragged us in here to tell us you're engaged" Farkas said in an annoyed tone.

"I've gathered you all here for an important mission" Arthius stated as he looked around at the three companions.

"Well, don't keep us in suspense, what is it?" Vilkas asked.

"We need to find a moth priest" Arthius stated.

**There you have it, I hope you all enjoyed my twist on how Serana went with the dragonborn as I thought it was sort of strange that Harkon would just let her leave in the game. I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please leave your reviews because they really get me up to make more of these, and be sure to notify me of any lore mistakes I may have made.**

**Thanks for reading.**


	5. Deeper Meanings

The three companions looked around at each other for a moment before Farkas spoke up.

"A what?" he asked. "_Gods help me" _Arthius thought as he pinched the bridge of his nose. Arthius sighed before he replied.

"A moth priest is basically someone who can read elder scrolls" Arthius replied.

"And what makes you think we'll know where to find one?" Vilkas asked.

"I just need you all to ask around and spread word, just ask anyone that might see travelers. Carriage drivers, innkeepers, city guards, and report to me if you find anything" Arthius stated plainly.

"We'll do our best Harbinger" Aela stated plainly "Is that all?"

"Yes, that's all" Arthius replied. Aela then walked out of the underforge and after giving Arthius a questioning look, Vilkas soon followed. Farkas approached Arthius.

"There's something you're not telling us brother" Farkas said with a gruff.

"Don't you have to blindly follow your brother somewhere Farkas?" Arthius said with a smirk. Farkas punched Arthius in the arm roughly, making Arthius wince.

"Even as the Harbinger, you're still the whelp" Farkas said with a smile as he looked at Serana "And who are you, bloodsucker?" Farkas asked. Serana looked at him without saying a word.

"What," Farkas asked as he looked at Arthius "the broad doesn't speak to companions?"

"It's not that" Serana spoke up "I just don't like dogs" Arthius couldn't help but grin widely at this before pulling Farkas back, hoping he wouldn't try anything.

"Alright that's enough, Farkas, try going to Riverwood, maybe the guards have seen someone interesting" Arthius said as Farkas glared at Serana. He looked at Arthius then back at Serana before turning and leaving the underforge, leaving Serana and Arthius alone. Arthius looked towards her and saw her looking towards the exit.

"He's a good man, just a bit stubborn" Arthius said. Serana looked at Arthius for a moment.

"Most dogs are Arthius" She stated simply. Arthius thought deeply before asking the question that's been on his mind.

"What was that the previous night?" Arthius asked, making Serana's head snap up.

"What about it? Serana asked.

"It's just a simple question" Arthius stated.

"Just a way to say that all is fine between us, that and you don't have cold blood so..." she said as she looked over to Arthius "There's more to be focused on at the moment Arthius. Even then...I'm not exactly looking to be with a man" she said sternly.

"Ah" Arthius said "I was un aware that you preferred-"

"No I'm not-"she started "did I ever tell you how I became a vampire?" she asked.

Arthius stared at her. "You were very vague about it" Arthius said. "_Where is she going with this?" _he thought to himself.

"Well, as you know, Molag Bal is the lord of domination" she started, looking tenser with each word. "The ceremony was-"her voice slightly broke as she continued.

"I understand" Arthius said apologetically. "_Gods _"he thought to himself.

"Alright" Serana said plainly, not showing any sign of pain or weakness. "_She's the strongest woman I've ever known"_ he thought to himself.

"I think we should be going" Serana said.

"Alright, please wait at my home next to the forge" Arthius said." I need to speak with the companions before they depart"

"Very well" she answered as she quickly made her way out of the forge. Arthius watched her leave before looking around the forge. "_I just made her share the most painful moment in her life, I'm a bastard" _Arthius thought before he exited the forge toward jorrvaskr. He soon ran into Aela in the dining hall, preparing to depart.

"Greetings Harbinger" she stated "Do you have a moment?"

"Of course Aela, what troubles you" Arthius asked

Aela looked around the room before replying. "I still find the beast taking control, I still feel anger for Kodlak's death. I'm unsure how to fight a battle I cannot win" she said matter-of-factly.

"It's because you've never faced that problem before" Arthius said with a smirk. Aela still looked a bit troubled.

"Look" Arthius started "We all felt rage when the old man died, he was a father to all of us, but we must remember all that he passed on. We cannot continue to burden ourselves over what might have been" Arthius said.

Aela smiled at this. "I can see why the old man named you Harbinger" Aela complimented.

Arthius chuckled. "I still remember the night I became Harbinger" as he winked at Aela.

_As he walked through the doors of jorrvaskr, the companions cheered. _

"_Greetings "Harbinger", welcome home" Farkas roared. Torvar patted Arthius on the back as he held a pint of ale. As Arthius reached for it, Torvar chugged it down. He then pulled out a bottle of black briar and shoved it in Arthius' hands. Arthius smiled as he raised the bottle._

"_TO KODLAK" He roared._

"_TO KODLAK" The companions shouted back as they drank their ale and mead._

_Aela approached Arthius then. "I've taken the liberty of moving your belongings to your room harbinger" Aela stated. Arthius grinned at her._

"_My name is Arthius, treat me as you would Aela" he said as he was handed another pint. Aela nodded before she descended the stairs to the lower level._

_After celebrating Kodlak's life and drinking Vilkas under the table, Arthius descended the stairs and made his way to his new quarters. Arthius opened the doors and walked to the corner and put his weapons down. He turned as the doors were suddenly closed behind him._

"_Who-"he started as he saw who was before him. Aela stood there, locking the door, naked. Arthius looked up and down her, following the curving paint all through her body._

"_Hello Arthius" she said professionally." As you asked, I will treat you as yourself and not as the Harbinger"_

"_Aela, why are you…" Arthius began._

"_You were named Harbinger, so you are now the greatest of us" she said as she walked towards Arthius. "Meaning you are the most worthy"_

_This threw Arthius off. "Kodlak was-"Arthius started._

"_Kodlak was a father, I wouldn't try it "Aela quickly responded._

_Arthius thought of this for a moment before responding. "And how do I know whether or not how to treat you" he asked as she began to remove his armor._

_Aela smirked at how he didn't ravage her yet. "I will simply address you as Harbinger unless-" _

"_Understood" Arthius said as he pressed his lips to hers. He removed his gauntlets and began to remove his armor, never breaking the kiss. Aela helped him remove his armor and put her hands on his chest. Feeling the muscles as she moved her hands down his chest. Arthius lifted her and placed her down on the furs._

"_Before we continue" Aela started "Know that this is lust, not love"_

_Arthius grinned wildly "I wouldn't have it any other way" he said as she turned him around and sat on top of him._

Aela chuckled as she stared into the fire. She leaned in and kissed Arthius on the cheek "Farewell Arthius" she said giving him a wink as she grabbed her pouch and made her way towards the exit. Arthius chuckled as he watched her walk away, focusing more on a particular area. "_You sick bastard"_ he thought.

He saw as Vilkas walked up the steps with a sack of supplies. He approached him with a nod.

"Vilkas, if you have a moment" Arthius said.

"Of course Arthius" He replied

"Call me Harbinger" Arthius smiled as he told him.

Vilkas simply smiled "How can I help you?"

Arthius gave him a serious look. "Vilkas, remember to think clearly before making any decisions as you're thinking for two people" Arthius said. "Don't lose yourself like you did when Kodlak died"

"Of course, and you should remember what Kodlak said" Vilkas said with a strong tone.

"What do you mean?" Arthius questioned.

"I mean your rage Arthius, you never overcame the rage that's held you since the day we met" Vilkas smiled "And the day I beat you to submission"

Arthius smiled as he replied "And now I can kill you simply by opening my mouth" Arthius winked.

Vilkas chuckled "Just remember, you can't keep mutilating everything that points a blade at you" Vilkas said as he gave Arthius a stern look. Arthius pulled out the gargoyle fang and tossed it to Vilkas.

"Brought you a gift" he said with a small nod "I hear you Vilkas, I understand. Please take care of your brother" Arthius said as he descended the stairs.

He found Farkas packing up his supplies. Farkas smiled as he saw Arthius approach, and finished putting in his food supply. "Ah, it truly is good to have you back brother" Farkas stated.

"It's good to be back Farkas" Arthius said as he leaned against the table. "You finally bed Carlotta yet?" Arthius asked with a smile.

"Well, it was only right of me to please her without giving her the burden of a man" Farkas said with a large grin. Arthius laughed as he patted Farkas on the back.

"I truly do miss the old days, drinking ourselves piss drunk, doing jobs for the people and being rewarded with any wenches who were frightened by wolves" Arthius stated as Farkas chuckled.

"Not much has changed Arthius, it's not like me and my brother couldn't fill in for you" Farkas said giving Arthius a wink." We do miss our brother, but you have to save the world after all" he added as he finished packing his pouch.

"Farewell for now Arthius" Farkas stated as he walked towards the stairs "And don't bother speaking to me again until you take that broad to bed" Farkas winked as he climbed the stairs.

Arthius looked around the hall before he too ascended the stairs. He opened the doors of breeze home to find Serana using his alchemy table. She looked at him with a bit of excitement.

"Arthius, this is incredible. I've never seen so many ingredients in one place at once" Serana stated.

"Well I've always collected them as I saw them, but I never tried alchemy" Arthius said.

"Then why did you have an alchemists table put in your home?" Serana asked.

Arthius just stared "Because…it looked nice?" Arthius responded.

Serana just looked down and rubbed her brow. "Give me strength…"

Arthius simply grabbed a bag and started placing potions that Serana had just created and started packing food.

"I'm thinking we try the college of Winterhold. They might know about the locations of moth priests coming into skyrim" he stated as Serana began to help pack supplies.

"Are you the Arch mage as well?" Serana said as she raised an eyebrow.

"No, I did a few tasks for the college but my magicka was never great so I left. I still have a few connections there so I'm hoping they can help us" Arthius said as he packed.

Serana said nothing, but just stared at Arthius. He looked up at her after finishing packing.

"What?" he asked.

"Why are you doing this Arthius? Why are you trying to help me when I never asked for it?" Serana asked, crossing her arms.

Arthius stared at her for a moment before taking a seat. "I never helped you, I just needed to escape the castle" Arthius said as he looked her in the eyes.

Serana tilted her head to one side. "I continue telling myself that, but what doesn't make sense to me is why you keep me with you"

Arthius paused. "Are you insisting something" Arthius asked with a smirk "because as I remember it, I never made you stay. You're the one who decided to tag along. So tell me, why didn't you just return to the castle and leave the elder scroll with me?"

Serana looked at him for a moment before saying anything. "Is that how you live your life Arthius?" she asked.

"What are you talking about?" Arthius asked with an annoyed tone.

"I mean when someone asks about your past, do you just push them away? I saw the look you gave me when I spoke of your parents, I didn't mean to insult you" Serana said.

" You didn't insult me, it's just a sensitive subject for me is all" Arthius tried his best to sound calm.

"It is for both of us, which is why I was trying to help. Do you think it was easy for me? I had to watch my family tear itself apart until my mother decided to just take me and run. I was never given a choice, Arthius, I never had the freedom you had" She stated.

Arthius snapped at this. "Freedom? You think that I was running around the city doing whatever I please?" Arthius shouted at her. "I was born without a family, I was raised by an elder who barely knew my parents and who had barely any money to his name! I took care of him for the last three years of his life, something a child should never have to do! Once he passed, his bastard of a brother took his house and kicked me out of the home I was raised in! I fought for every meal and barely survived each day until I grew old enough to become a thief. I traveled all around Cyrodiil trying not to be executed, and yet here you stand, telling me you know how it must feel to not have parents. You, the royal girl raised with two happy, loving parents. You lived centuries with them before things went to oblivion, and yet you tell me that you know how I feel. I've never even met my parents, so tell me, how in the bloody divines do you think you can even imagine what I went through!?" Arthius shouted directly in her face, beyond furious. Serana looked him in the eyes before looking to the ground.

"I'm sorry" Serana spoke. "I don't know what it was like for you, and I won't act like I do...but don't act as if you know how it felt for me either" she said as her expression turned serious. "You never had parents to begin with, so you never felt the pain of losing them. I'm sorry for your past, but don't treat me as though I don't know hardships" Serana spoke calmly but firmly. Arthius stared at her, taking in her words. He huffed as he sat down and ran his hand through his hair. Serana stood, looking down at him with her arms crossed.

"I know you have..." Arthius said with a sigh. "Just- how about we choose a different subject to speak of on our way to Winterhold?" Arthius said. Serana sighed before simply nodding as she began to continue on her potions.

They arrived in Winterhold about five days later, Arthius listened as Serana told him tales of the gods and the deadra, legends in magicka and a few expreiances she had whilst outside the castle, while Serana listened to Arthius speak of his adventures throughout Skyrim and a bit of history. He told her of his battle against Alduin, and how he stopped Potema from being resurrected from the dead. Some stories weren't as important as others since she knew nothing after the first era, and Arthius didn't know much about history other than the oblivion crisis which he felt he should leave out. The weather in Winterhold was freezing as expected. The land was blanketed white as the wind blew ice flakes into their faces. Serana had completely covered herself in furs since she had no body heat, though Arthius thought it amusing seeing a pile of furs with two small golden orbs peeking out.

They arrived and were beginning to leave the carriage when the driver asked "what was the reason you came all the way here? Nothing in this city except the cursed college"

"We're searching for a moth priest" Arthius said plainly.

"Moth priest you say? Sounds familiar…" The driver said.

Arthius' eyes shot open wide. He looked over to the driver with hopeful eyes.

"Did you happen to see one?" Arthius asked.

"I might" The driver said "Maybe if my pockets weren't so empty"

Arthius was about to pull out his sword when the man's eyes suddenly shot open. Serana then went to him and tilted his head to the side, biting down. After a small gulp of blood she spoke.

"May you please tell us were you saw this moth priest?" Serana asked.

"A few days ago, he asked me to drive him to dragonbridge, but I refused because it wasn't a major hold. I could have told you this earlier but I didn't know, please forgive me master" the man pleaded as he bowed to Serana.

"It's alright, can you please take us there at once?" Serana kindly asked.

"Why of course I can master, thank you so much" the driver said as he began to turn the carriage around.

As they rode, Arthius couldn't stop staring at Serana. She soon noticed this and turned to face him.

"What?" she asked sincerely.

"What do you mean what? What in the Divines did you do to him?" Arthius asked.

Serana raised an eyebrow, the furs still covering most of her face. "You mean the driver?" she asked.

"Yes, the driver" Arthius replied a bit annoyed. Serana looked at the driver than back at Arthius.

"I simply enthralled him. Ya' know, made him my slave." Serana stated, shrugging her shoulders.

"So…" Arthius said "is he like this forever?"

"Not unless I leave him like this, I'm going to release him once we get to dragonsbridge. He won't remember a thing" Serana said as she turned back towards the road.

Arthius thought for a moment "Have you ever done that to me?" he asked.

Serana turned to him, removing the furs covering her head and smiled, showing her fangs.

"Would you like me to?" she said as she placed the furs back on.

"You didn't really answer my question" Arthius said.

"I know" Serana said plainly. Arthius faced forward, feeling uncomfortable the rest of the trip. He soon hit himself in the head for not asking the carriage driver back in Whiterun.

They arrived in dragonsbridge two days later. After Serana freed the driver, they started asking around, not long afterwards they heard a great roar.

"DRAGON" they heard a guard shout. Arthius and Serana readied themselves as the dark green beast hovered above them as it unleashed a vortex of flames directly at them. Arthius blocked it with his shield as he heard Serana scream in pain. Once the flame had stopped, he turned to see her on her knees as her left arm was slightly burnt, he realized her ward must have broken. His shock didn't last long before his anger soon took complete control. As the dragon hovered again, Arthius prepared his thu'um.

"FUS"

He shouted at the dragon's left wing causing it to lose control and fall to the ground. Arthius the pulled out his sword and charged it,the dragon snapped at Arthius as he smacked it in the face with his shield and raised his blade, but the dragon charged him, knocking him to the ground as it took flight again. The city guards began shooting arrows at the beast as it flew, barely clipping it as Arthius withdrew his crossbow. As the dragon began to breathe fire again, the combination of the Gaurds bows and Arthius' well placed bolt sent the dragon spiraling to the ground. Arthius rushed the beast as it turned smacking him in the side with it's tail, sending him tumbling. As arthius looked up, he saw the tail raised above him to crush him. He barely rolled out of the way and ran at the beast, stabbing the wing so it could no longer take flight. It snapped at Arthius but he ducked just in time. As it began to breathe fire again, Arthius stabbed it down hard on top of its snout and jumped on its head, forcing its head up, sending fire into the sky. Arthius then repeated to stab the head of the beast until it fell dead.

Arthius stood holding his side as he absorbed the dragon soul. He caught his breath before sending his blade through the skull one last time for good measurement. He then broke from his rage and rushed to Serana who was leaning against a building in the shade holding her arm. Arthius quickly pulled out a bottle of fire resistance hoping it would help, along with a healing potion. Serana quickly drank both, almost immediately feeling the effects.

"Damn flying lizard" Serana cursed "The last thing we need to worry about is me being a little burnt Arthius, don't let your anger control you that easily" she told him. Arthius simply nodded, not trying to argue with her right now.

"We need to find that moth priest" Serana stated.

"Did you say moth priest?" they both turned to see a young boy standing there.

"Yes, did you see one?" Serana asked politely.

"I don't know what a moth priest is but I did see an old man in robes with a bunch of soldiers pass by not too long ago. You can still catch them if you hurry." The boy said.

"Thank you very much" Serana said smiling "Come on" she said to Arthius as she pushed herself off the wall.

They ran out of the town and down the road, hoping to be able to catch them. What they saw made them stop in place, beside the road lay dead soldiers and a few dead…vampires.

**Wow, that was an emotional chapter. I made this wanting to expand more on Arthius' past and try and give a little more character to everyone. I hope the sexual preferences weren't too much. I hope you guys enjoyed and please leave a review as I love reading your guys opinions,**

**Thanks for reading.**


	6. Dark thoughts

Serana stared at the mess of bodies as Arthius sat, defeated. "_We were so close, and they captured him for who know what"_ Arthius thought. Serana put her hands on one of the corpse's necks.

"Arthius" she stated "They couldn't have gone far, maybe we can catch them" Arthius never looked up.

Serana huffed as she searched the bodies. She soon found a note and read it aloud.

"_I have new orders for you. Prepare an ambush just south of Dragon Bridge. Take the moth priest to Forebears' Holdout for safekeeping until I can break his will."_ Serana read as she looked up at Arthius.

Arthius' head jerked up suddenly as he got up and started running straight into the woods. Serana just stared before releasing an irritated sigh as she began to follow. They arrived at the cave within two minutes. Arthius listened closely as he heard voices from within, making him smile.

"See" Serana said with a smile "No reason to lose hope" she said with a wink. Arthius smiled back at her, feeling foolish for losing hope.

"_Weak fool" _

Arthius heard a whisper in his head, but shook it away. They entered the cave slowly, they soon found the vampires waiting among the hold across the bank of water. It was a circular stone structure with high walls. There were stairs to a platform with a strange magical orb keeping something trapped inside.

"_You are growing weaker with every moment that passes by, let your anger rule, and your strength will be unmatched"_ Arthius once again shook his head, unknowing to what was causing this.

Serana looked to him "Are you okay?" she asked in a hushed tone.

"I'm fine" Arthius said plainly as he took out his crossbow and readied it, aiming up at one of the vampires. Serana readied her ice spike and aimed for one of the bloodhounds circling the area.

They both released their projectiles, killing their targets. Another hound began to rush up the steps but was soon shot down by Serana. Arthius readied another bolt as he descended the stairs. He ran up to the fortress, as ice spikes were being shot by Serana. Arthius shot a vampire in the head before he noticed a Gargoyle spring from the inside of the fort.

"_Oh, great"_ Arthius thought as he took out his blade. The gargoyle rushed Arthius as he jumped out of the way. The gargoyle roared as it clawed at him, Arthius ducked and bashed it in the stomach. The gargoyle was knocked back slightly, it then leapt forward on Arthius. It pinned him to the floor as it began clawing viciously at him. Arthius was barely holding the claws with his shield. He was going to lose the strength to hold it back, soon. With every bash, he grew tenser. With every bash, he became angrier.

"_Let it take you my child, let it control your every being" _it whispered again.

Arthius let loose, letting it devour him before he responded.

"_Yes night mother"_

"FUS RO DAH"

The gargoyle was sent flying across the room. He rose, grabbing his sword. The gargoyle also rose, roaring at him. It charged Arthius, as he waited. As it grew near, he quickly side stepped as it stopped beside him before he thrust his sword through the top of its skull. Killing it instantly. Ice spikes were launched at him as he dropped his shield and dodged them, running towards the casters. Serana finished off her second vampire ash she turned to see Arthius moving through the spikes like as if he knew when and where they would be placed. Arthius approached two more, as he hit one in the face with the blunt of his sword, he ducked another spike and stabbed the caster through the stomach before bringing his blade back and chopping the head off the one that was stunned. She watched before another one attacked her, she parried his sword with her dagger. Arthius quickly grabbed a vampire by the wrist before stabbing it repeatedly. The last vampire dropped it sword and began to cower as Arthius approached it with fire in his eyes.

"Please, have mercy. I surrender, take the priest" she pleaded.

Arthius smirked at this as he grabbed it by the throat and lifted her, pinning her to a wall. He slowly put the tip of his blade in front of her eye as she pleaded wildly as tears rushed down her face. Arthius then slowly pushing as the blade made contact, burning as sizzling her skin covering her eye as she screamed wildly. Arthius smiled wildly as he continued.

"ARTHIUS!" Arthius turned to see Serana staring at him with a shocked expression. Arthius quickly looked back at the vampire before slashing his blade down through her shoulder to her chest. He released it as it fell to the floor dead. Arthius simply looked at Serana before picking up a strange stone from the vampire, and taking it up the stairs to place it on the pedestal. The field of magic soon dispersed as Arthius approached the priest. As he was about to say something, the priest attacked.

"Die!" the priest shouted as he lunged at Arthius, Arthius quickly ducked a punch before laying a hard uppercut knocking the old man down. The man looked around, before speaking.

"Please, forgive me. I was not myself then" he stated as he rose. "Thank the divines, bless you, I don't even know why these brutes attacked me"

"It's because they need you for the same purpose that we need you" Arthius stated. "We need you to read an elder scroll"

"You have an elder scroll, remarkable! I will be happy to assist you with your scroll, just tell me where you need me to go"

"Head to solitude, meet with the companions of jorrvaskr and ask for the circle. They'll understand."

"Very well, I'll head there before more vampires show up. By the way, my name is Dexion" He stated before turning and hurrying out of the cave. Arthius watched him go, after a few moments of silence, he turned to face Serana as she stared a t him seriously.

"What in the divines was that?" she asked. Arthius simply turned and walked towards the exit.

"Arthius" she said as he continued to ignore him." Arthius!" she said as she placed her hand on his shoulder. Arthius grabbed her hand and threw it to the side roughly as he turned to face her. She stared him in the eyes for a moment before speaking.

"What is wrong Arthius? I've told you before, if you're angry-"she began.

"Serana" Arthius said, cutting her off "Do me a favor and keep your mouth shut"

Serana just stared at him with an open mouth, surprised at what he just said. She then slapped him hard across the face. Arthius smirked as he stared into her eyes furiously.

"Quit, trying to control things Serana, it just makes you a pain in the ass" Arthius stated as he turned to walk away.

"Is that why nobody ever cared enough to ask about your past?" Serana with sad eyes. Arthius paused at this.

"Is that why your parents don't care about you?" Arthius asked as turned to face her.

She grew furious at this, she grabbed Arthius by the throat and lifted him off the ground. Arthius was surprised by her great amount of strength. She held him there for a minute before dropping him. He fell to the hard stone, coughing but smiling as he knew she had lost her temper with him. He looked up smiling, until he saw her face. He had expected fury, but what he saw was pure hurt. She held in any tears she may have had, but couldn't help but stop her lip from quivering slightly and her brow from twitching slightly. She began to walk away, as Arthius rose from the ground. She quickened her pace as he rushed after her. He grabbed her arm and she tried to free it. Arthius walked behind her and held her arms down as she struggled. He then pulled her in to him as he hugged her tightly from behind and rested his chin on her shoulders. Serana stayed stiff as he looked down. "_I've done it, I've officially went over the edge She'll never forgive me and I deserve it" _Arthius thought to himself.

"Serana-"Arthius started. Serana quickly leaned into him with her eyes shut closed. She turned to him with a serious expression. She again slapped him in the face, but not as rough. She looked him in the eyes.

"I know…when someone doesn't mean what they say. I'm no better for what I said to you but…" Serana said as her eyes drifted. "I forgive you" Arthius couldn't believe what he had just heard.

"Why?" he asked. Serana looked at him, as if searching for an answer in his armor.

"Because I can't afford to not forgive you" she said with a smile. Arthius stared at her dumbfounded. He couldn't believe how forgiving she was, yet stern. He wrapped his arms around her then and pulled her into a short yet strong hug. She let out a small yelp as he pulled her in, when he released her she had an amusing surprised face.

"How about we get back to Whiterun" he said with a relieved smile.

Serana looked out the cave before saying anything." Not exactly the calmest environment is it?"

Arthius chuckled as he began to walk away. "Thought it would suit you"

They opened the doors to jorrvaskr as the circle and the moth priest were waiting.

"Congratulations on finding the priest before us Harbinger" Aela said.

"The carriage driver of Whiterun, great job on that one" Arthius stated as he looked at the companions.

"And yet you didn't think of it until we arrived in Winterhold" Serana said, causing everyone to grin at Arthius who slightly blushed. He turned to Serana who simply shrugged. He walked to the priest who was looking around the room.

"Glad to see you made it here safely Dexion" Arthius said. "Have the companions made you feel welcome?"

"It's not exactly the kind of hospitality I'm used to, but your man Vilkas has seen to my needs well enough" He said.

"Are you ready to read the elder scroll?" Arthius asked.

"Oh, most certainly! Let's find out what secrets the scroll can tell" Dexion pulled the scroll open as he asked for silence.

"_I see before me, an image of a great bow. I know this weapon, it is Auriel's bow. Now a voice…whispers, saying "Among the night's children, a dread lord will rise. In an age of strife, when dragons return to the realm of men, darkness will mingle with light, and the night and the day will be as one". The voice fades and words begin to…shimmer, and distort, but wait, there is more here. The secret of the bow's power is written elsewhere. I think there is more to the prophecy, recorded in other scrolls. Yes, I see them now. One contains the ancient secrets of the dragons, and the other speaks of the potency of ancient blood. My vision darkens, and I see no more. To know the complete prophecy, we must have the other two scrolls." _Dexion said as he closed the scroll. "I must rest now, the reading has…mad me weary"

As the group dispatched, Serana walked to Arthius' side.

"Arthius" she said calling his attention

"What is it?" he asked.

"That moth priest, Dexion. He said we needed two other elder scrolls. I think I know where we can start looking." This caught Arthius by surprise.

"Why didn't you say anything earlier?" He asked. Serana crossed her arms.

"I don't exactly trust your pack of hounds. That doesn't exactly make me want to open up. I got a warmer welcome from my father, and that's saying something" she said.

"Do think he cares about you anymore?" Arthius asked feeling uneasy as he thought about what he had said earlier. She looked at him for a moment, giving him quick reassuring smile.

"You know, I've been asking myself the same thing, I thought…I hoped that if he saw me, he might feel something again, but I guess I don't really factor in at this point" she said " I don't think he even sees me as his daughter anymore. I'm just…a means to an end" Arthius didn't truly understand how she could say any of this without it fazing her at all, but he could only assume that she had gotten used to it by now.

"So where's the other scroll?" he asked, getting back to the matter at hand.

"We'd need to find my mother, Valerica. She'll definitely know where it is. And if we're lucky, she has it herself" Serana replied. Arthius was joyed at first, but then he remembered something.

"You said you didn't know where she went" he said.

"The last time I saw her, she said she'd go somewhere safe…somewhere that my father would never search. Other than that she wouldn't tell me anything" Serana said as Arthius rubbed his face. Serana continued "But the way she said it…"someplace he would never search." It was cryptic, yet she called attention to it"

"We don't exactly have time to decipher cryptic clues" Arthius said.

"If you've got a better Idea, I'm all ears" Serana replied with an annoyed tone, "Besides, I can't imagine a single place my father would avoid looking. And he's had all this time, too" She said as she looked at Arthius. "Any ideas?" Arthius thought for a moment "_Someplace he would never search"_

"Well, what about Volkihar castle?" Arthius asked. Serana gave him an annoyed look before her face lit up.

"Wait…that almost makes sense" Serana said "There's a courtyard in the castle. I used to help her tend a garden there. All of the ingredients for our potions came from there. She used to say that my father couldn't stand the place. Too…peaceful."

"Don't you think that that's a little risky, staying around the castle?" Arthius asked, unsure of her thoughts.

"Oh, absolutely. But my mother's not a coward. That is…I doubt we'll actually trip over her there. But it's worth a look" Serana said

"They're not just going to let us poke around you know" Arthius said.

"True, but I a way we can get to the courtyard without arousing suspicion. There's an unused inlet on the northern side of the island that was used by the previous owners to bring supplies into the castle. An old escape tunnel from the castle exits there. I think that's our way in" Serana said.

"Alright, we'll head out in the morning" Arthius said. Serana gave him an upset look.

"Why morning why not now?" She asked.

"Because we've been travelling for many days now and I'd like to relax for one night. Besides, it's the middle of the night. Morning is in a few short hours" Arthius said smiling as he descended the steps to the lower levels. Serana son followed.

"You can stay in my room, I'll take one of the bunks with the others" Arthius said, nodding to the room. Serana nodded before walking to the end of the hall. Once she entered the room, she closed the door behind her before removing her hood and throwing it to the side. She stretched slightly before lying down on the soft furs and buried herself beneath them.

"Hello Arthius" she heard a woman say from the corner of the room.

As Arthius prepared for bed, he heard a scream from his room. He quickly grabbed his sword and ran down the hall, bursting through the door. There was nothing to prepare him for what he saw. Serana was facing the wall, hand covering her mouth, a Aela covered herself with the furs from the bed, a surprised look on her face.

Arthius couldn't help it as he burst out laughing. He soon doubled over on himself as he couldn't control it. Aela huffed before marching out of the room. As Arthius sat there laughing, Serana turned to make sure the woman was no longer in the room before looking at Arthius. Once he finished, he saw Serana looking down at him with a smirk.

"I see being the harbinger has its perks" she said raising an eye brow. Arthius simply laughed as he went to the dresser and pulled out more furs.

"Good night" he said as he left the room. Serana smiled at him before lying down in the comfortable furs once again. Sleep soon found her. After leaving the room, Arthius opened the door to Aela's bedroom, where she still had the furs around her. Looking rather insulted.

"It's not funny" she said sternly "What do you want anyways"

Arthius smiled as he removed his tunic. "I need somewhere to sleep for the night" he said. Aela smiled as she opened the furs and let Arthius step inside. She wrapped her hands around his head before kissing him deeply. Arthius pulled her up and laid her down on the bed. He then laid beside her as they continued to kiss. He then pulled the furs on top of them, where they would find little sleep.

Arthius awoke the next morning to find Aela resting on his chest with an arm around him. He stayed like this for a few moments before she awoke, smiling up at him. Arthius kissed her before rising out of the bed and dressing, Aela just watching him with a smile. Once he finished dressing, he turned back to Aela and kissed her again.

"Farewell Aela" he said as he turned to face the door.

"Farewell harbinger" Aela said before settling back into the furs.

Arthius walked out into the main hall where Serana sat with her arms crossed as Farkas was talking to her about something. Whatever it was, Serana didn't seem happy about it. Arthius approached as he overheard.

"- and if I he returns with a damn bite mark, I swear on the divines-"Farkas said before Arthius grabbed him by the shoulder.

"Enough Farkas" Arthius said sternly with a low growl. Farkas looked at him before jerking his shoulder free and walking away with a huff.

"Good boy" Serana said smiling, showing her fangs.

"You're pretty good at making friends" Arthius said as he crossed his arms.

"All I had to do was hit you with a tray" she said smiling at him. Arthius chuckled as he held out his hand. Serana took it and stood up.

"Shall we?" Arthius asked

"Let's get going"

**There's the conclusion to chapter six. Now we know who's fueling Arthius' rage, and we get a bit more understanding of Serana's own strengths and weaknesses. Please tell me what you guys think in a review, they really give me the push I need to write these. That and seeing another favorite or follow.**

**Thanks for reading. P.S It's been brought to my attention that a song called "I get wicked" by Thousand Foot Krutch fits my story. Check it out if you have the time.**


	7. A new beginning

They arrived on the island a few days later. Serana seemed excited some days, but nervous the others. At least that's what Arthius thought, Serana was very hard to read. Every bandit fight, every wolf pack, every sound in the night, Arthius could hear her whispers. She continued to fuel him to a point where he considered seeing a priest. Arthius figured he would see Paarthurnax about this, the ancient dragon had become a great advisor for him. They had arrived on the island, as they heard a slight rustling. Arthius put his finger up to his lips to motion Serana to be silent.

"LAAS YAH NIR"

He saw a red life force above the tower. "_A scout"_ he thought to himself. Arthius nodded upwards at the tower to Serana, who nodded and began to ascend it. He watched the red figure slowly ascend the tower before it was behind the one atop. After a muffled grunt, the first life force disappeared. Serana exited the tower with a nod. They began walking around the side of the castle, passing old crates and barrels, as Serana continued to look at the castle.

"What is it?" Arthius asked.

"The castle looks so big from down here. Well- it is big but…even bigger" she said.

"Well put" Arthius said with a smile. Serana rolled her eyes in response. They turned the bend upon a port, filled with skeletons and draugrs.

"Of course" Arthius said as he equipped his crossbow. He readied it as he aimed at the head of one of the skeletons before firing. It struck the skeleton directly in the skull. Arthius smirked at this, until the skeleton turned around with the bolt in its skull.

"Well, that's new" Arthius said surprised as an arrow whizzed by his head. Serana began to shoot spikes at the skeletons that were firing arrows at them as Arthius charged with his sword and shield, deflecting arrows that were shot at him. He slashed down at a skeleton, only for his blade to be stuck in the shoulder as the skeleton bashed the handle of its Warhammer at Arthius' skull. Arthius fell on the ground as the skeleton raised the hammer to crush him. Arthius rolled out of the way and grabbed the sword by its handle and pulled the skeleton down with him. Arthius flipped the skeleton onto its back as he stood up and put his boot to the skeleton's chest as he jerked his sword free, and began to stomp on the Skelton's skull until it broke from its body, dead. Arthius backed up to Serana as she finished off her magicka and pulled her behind a large stone.

"So" Arthius said out of breath "How many did you get?"

"Um…" Serana began to count the fingers on her hand "Oh, one" she said looking at Arthius. Arthius pinched his nose before he turned the corner to see the skeletons begin to descend the steps.

"Why are these skeletons so strong?" Arthius asked.

"I think they're specially raised skeletons, probably put here by my father to keep out intruders" Serana replied as Arthius handed her a few magicka potions.

"Well, we better come up with something soon" Arthius said as he watched the skeletons approach. Serana searched for an idea, and then she found one.

"Arthius, give me your crossbow bolts" Serana demanded. Arthius looked at her questioningly before handing over his bolts. Serana began to use her magicka on the bolts.

"What are you doing?" Arthius asked.

"Putting fire runes on your bolts" She responded, looking at Arthius who had a dumbfounded expression on his face.

"They'll explode" Serana said with an annoyed expression.

"Oh, alright" Arthius said as she shoved the bolts into his hands. Arthius quickly turned around, loading a bolt. He shot it at the horde of skeletons, the bolt exploded just as Serana said it would. It destroyed multiple skeletons at once, sending bones everywhere. Arthius continued to launch bolts until all the skeletons were destroyed. Arthius turned back to Serana who was simply sitting down, resting her head on her palm as she twirled a spike in her hand.

"Serana" he stated. She looked up at him, dispelling the ice spike.

"All done?" she asked.

"Yeah, great idea by the way" Arthius said as he helped her to her feet.

"Arthius, you truly flatter me" she said sarcastically. Arthius rolled his eyes as he followed her up the dock.

They entered the undercroft and were immediately greeted by a skeever. Arthius stomped on its head before looking around. The sanctum was even more disturbing than the castle itself, but it's probably because it hasn't been tended to for who know how many centuries.

"Bloodhounds" Serana shouted. Arthius turned to see a pack of the canine creatures he saw before begin to charge them. "_So that's what they're called_" Arthius thought to himself. Serana put down the first one as Arthius rammed the second one as it was in midair, sending it crashing to the floor where Arthius stuck his blade through the beast, killing it. As Serana shot down the last bloodhound, Arthius was shot with a ray of red light from behind. He felt his strength waver before he turned with his shield, deflecting the magic. He saw a feral vampire casting the spell before it was struck in the chest with an ice spike and sent to the ground. Arthius smiled before walking over to it as it began to try and crawl away. Before Arthius could grab it, Serana sent another ice spike through its chest killing it. Arthius turned to Serana with anger in his eyes as she met his glare with her own. They stayed like this until Arthius regained himself and nodded at Serana with a huff. Serana gave him a smile before looking back and forth between the hounds and the vampire.

"What were they doing here?" Serana asked. Arthius pulled out a note handing it to Serana.

"So…his plan was to train these three blood hounds to kill my father and the rest of the clan?" Serana said with a smirk. "What a fool" she said as she followed Arthius down a corridor. They came across a pathway over a pile of skeletons.

"Might want to take a look around" Serana said peering over the ledge. "There's usually a lever around here somewhere" Arthius turned the path and walked into another room with a flight of stairs. "_This place is massive_" he thought to himself as he ascended the stairs and walked into another chamber. He soon saw cobwebs on the walls as he continued walking. He came upon the room with a lever to the closed gate, and a giant frostbite spider guarding it. Arthius smirked as he pulled out his sword and charged the creature. It shot venom at him as he ducked and rammed into its side. The spider tried to bite him with its large pincers but Arthius bashed it in the face with his shield. He then stabbed the spider through the skull, killing it. He flipped the switch, and walked back to Serana who was waiting for him.

"You know, I always used to come down here when my parents would fight. I guess a vampire girl was enough to scare the rats away" Serana said as Arthius approached, she kept looking around as if it were her old home. Arthius thought about this for a moment, unsure of how she feels to be back…home.

"You talk about being lonely quite a bit" Arthius said as he leaned against a corridor.

"Well, growing up the way I did, you get used to it" Serana said plainly.

"But, do you still feel that way?" Arthius asked. Serana looked back at him.

"A little bit. That's…one of the reasons I stayed with you" she said a bit awkwardly "But…what about you?"

"What about me?" Arthius asked.

"I mean, do you get lonely?" she asked. Arthius never thought about that. People praised him, people hated him, there were people who wanted him around and people who only needed him to complete a task. He never really…felt cared about. As if people would only care for their own goals.

"Do you…have people in your life?" she asked. Arthius thought of Aela but, she was just a lover. Even though there wasn't any love involved.

"I…try not to rely on others most of the time" He responded. Serana looked at him for a moment.

"Does it bother you that I'm here?" she asked plainly.

"No" Arthius responded immediately. "I'm glad you're with me" Serana smiled at this.

"Me too" she said as he smiled back.

"Anyways" Serana said tearing her eyes away "This is all very touching, but I think we have more important things to get to right now"

They entered the courtyard and Serana emitted a small gasp. The courtyard was in ruins, what could have been a beautiful garden for all sorts of ingredients was now a crumbling shadow of what it was before.

"We've made it to the courtyard" Serana said plainly. "What happened to this place? Everything's been torn down…the whole place looks…well, dead. It's like we're the first to set foot here in centuries" Serana began to walk around, looking at the ruined courtyard. She walked up to a corridor and looked at it.

"This used to lead to the castle's great hall. It looks like my father had it sealed up. I used to walk through here after evening meals, it was beautiful once" she said as she walked over to a ruined garden. She looked at it with saddened eyes.

"This was my mother's garden. It…do you know how beautiful something can be when it's tended by a master for hundreds of years? She would have hated to see it like this" Serana said as she walked over to a sun dial in the middle of the courtyard.

"There's something wrong with this moon dial" she said as she inspected it. _"Of course it's a moon dial" _Arthius thought to himself.

"Some of the crests are missing and the dial is askew. I didn't even know that the crests could be removed. Maybe my mother's trying to tell us something" Serana said as she paced around it. Arthius began to look around the courtyard and found three crescent pieces to the dial. He returned to Serana with them in hand.

"What do you have there?" She asked.

"What do you think would happen if we put these back?" Arthius asked. Serana's eyes shot open.

"Yes, that might work. Here, give me some" she said. Arthius handed her two of them and she immediately placed one down in the correct spot. Arthius then put his down as he looked over to Serana who stood over the last spot it could go, she had a hopeful look on her face as she placed it. The dial began to turn and Serana and Arthius jumped back in surprise. It then began to open up, revealing a spiral staircase leading down. Serana stood there staring at the dial with a large smile on her face.

"Very clever mother, very clever" she said.

They descended the stairs into what seemed like a cellar, it had a bloody table and a few hanging ingredients. Arthius ascended the stairs to a dark dining hall with skeletons sitting in the chairs. The candles suddenly lit, and the skeletons came to life, scaring the life out of Arthius. He quickly charged with his sword and killed one of the skeletons as it rose from the table. Serana quickly dispatched two more, but there were many as Arthius began slashing at everyone that came near. As Serana shot a few off from Arthius, another attempted to behead her. She quickly ducked, but was hit in the face with the blunt of its sword, sending blood from her face onto the floor. She collapsed as the skeleton raised his sword. Arthius was being overwhelmed as he looked over to see Serana on the ground with a skeleton above her. Arthius' rage found him again as he broke free and charged at the skeleton, screaming to get its attention. It turned just as Arthius decapitated it, sending its head flying. He then turned to face the other four skeletons and both forces charged at each other. Arthius side stepped as he slashed another's head off before he turned around and cut down the one behind him. He then turned back to the remaining two as he was hit in the side of the head with a mace, sending him crashing to the ground. Serana looked up and quickly shot an ice spike, killing one of them before she raised the largest skeleton before blacking out. She awoke sometime later to find a room of bones scattered everywhere. She looked around until she saw Arthius lying in the same position he was when he collapsed. She panicked as she hurried to him, she knelt beside him and lifted his head slowly. There was blood seeping from the side of his head and he wasn't breathing. After removing his armor, she put her head to his chest and listened for his heartbeat. It was there, but it was faint. Serana placed his head down slowly before searching his pouch for anything that could help. She quickly bandaged his head with the fabric of his tunic and pulled out several healing potions. She doused his wound with one of the bottles before she put his head on her lap as she poured the liquids into his mouth, down his throat. She held his head as she placed her head on his chest again. "_Please, please, please…"_ she thought to herself. She heard his heart begin to thump loudly in his chest, and she sighed in relief. She stayed there, with his head on her lap a while, before Arthius' eyes opened. Serana stared into them, she always loved his green eyes. She thought of them as emeralds, and found it amusing how they are so pretty compared to his brutish nature.

Arthius opened his eyes to see Serana's staring back at him, he smiled as he saw those beautiful gold orbs once again before looking around. Unsure of what had happened.

"Thank the gods, I thought I lost you for a moment" Serana said with a relieved tone. Arthius smiled again, and then was slapped across the face.

"How were you dumb enough to get taken down by four skeletons?" she asked plainly. Arthius laughed at this before adjusting his head, looking straight up.

"You're one to talk, you were knocked down by one" Arthius smirked. Serana suddenly stood up, sending Arthius tumbling to the floor.

"Protecting your hide" she said with a smile. She extended her hand out and Arthius took it as she basically lifted him off the ground to his feet. Arthius looked around for his shield and sword before hearing Serana shout to him.

"Catch" she said as she threw his armor at him. After readying themselves, they ascended the stairs as a gargoyle came to life, sending debris and stone into their faces. As Arthius recovered, he was charged and knocked to the floor, the gargoyle then swiped at Serana who ducked and sent an ice spike through its gut. It roared in pain as Arthius tackled it to the ground before stabbing it repeatedly until it died.

"Teamwork right there" Serana said smiling down at the creature. They entered another room with two skeletons perched, waiting to strike from a few steps above them. Arthius simply blocked the arrows as Serana dispatched of them. They ascended the stairs as more torches lit up suddenly, once again making Arthius jump. He turned back to Serana who gave him a small smirk. As they continued down another corridor, another gargoyle came to life as Arthius passed it by. Before he could do anything, he was shot in the back with an arrow. He turned to see a skeleton above him growl down. He became furious as he ascended the stairs. The gargoyle looked at Serana with a roar. "_Great, leave the large stone monster to me"_ Serana thought as she equipped her dagger and readied her ice spell. The beast charged her as she sent ice spikes into its body. it flew into her, knocking her down. As it stood over her, she stabbed it in the leg before sending a spike through the bottom of its skull, killing it before it collapsed on top of her. "_Perfect"_ she thought as she struggled under the body of it.

Arthius charged, ducking an arrow before impaling the skeleton and letting it crumble. He side stepped a blade before he decapitated the skeleton. Another sent an ice spike that he blocked with his shield. He approached it slowly, savoring how it began to back up, stumbling over itself. He then threw his shield, striking it in the face as it crashed to the floor. He stood over it and grabbed its skull, placing his boot on its chest preparing to pull its head off. Then he saw Serana watching from a distance, he quickly snapped back into reality as he let it go, and stabbed it quickly through the chest. He turned to Serana as she gave him a large smile.

"Good boy" she said. Arthius laughed before he walked across the platform. They continued on like this, killing any skeletons or gargoyles that got in their way until they came across a dead end in a dining hall. They looked around the room before Arthius noticed a candle that wasn't lit. He walked over to it and noticed it wasn't really attached to the wall. He grabbed it and twisted it. The fireplace beside it suddenly opened up as Arthius moved out of the way.

"Leave it to my mother…always smarter than I gave her credit for" Serana said as she walked through the passageway as Arthius followed. They went up several flights of stairs before she opened a door to a large room with ingredients of all sorts scattered throughout it. It had a large spiraling circle in the center of the floor.

"Look at this place, this has to be it!" Serana said as she looked around the room "I knew she was deep into necromancy. I mean, she taught me everything I know. But I had no idea she had a setup like this. She must have spent years collecting all of these components. And what's this?" She asked as she walked over to the circular structure in the center. She looked at Arthius who simply shrugged.

"I'm not sure about this circle, but it's obviously…something" She said as Arthius pinched his nose.

"Brilliant observation" Arthius said with a smirk as he plucked a book from a bookshelf. Serana chuckled at her own idiotic comment before continuing.

"Let's take a look around. There has to be something here that tells us where she's gone" Serana said at Arthius who was simply flipping through the pages of the book he had.

"Arthius, pay attention" she said as Arthius tossed her the book.

"She's in the soul cairn" Arthius said plainly as he looked around the room for the ingredients he had just read off.

"Arthius, there's an issue" she said as he turned to her. "We need a sample of her blood. Which… if we could get that, we wouldn't even be trying to do this in the first place "Arthius huffed before walking to the other end of the room, throwing his shield down. They stayed in silence for a while before Arthius spoke up.

"You're her daughter so…maybe-"he began.

"Maybe, that's all we can hope for, C'mon, let's get started" she said walking off, searching for the ingredients. Once they gathered them and placed them in the vessel, Serana approached it.

"The rest is up to me." She said "Are you ready to go? I'm not entirely sure what this thing is going to when I add my blood"

"Serana, can I ask you something first?" Arthius asked.

"Of course, what is it?" she asked.

"What will you do if we find your mother?" Arthius asked with concern. Serana trailed a bit before answering.

"I've been asking myself the same thing since we came back to the castle" she said looking at Arthius with troubled eyes. "She was so sure of what we did to my father, I couldn't help but go along with her. I never thought of the cost"

"It sounds like she was just doing what she thought was best for you" Arthius said with a smile. Not truly believing it himself.

"Possibly, I guess a vampire mother is still a mother. She always worried about me. About all of us. But she wanted to get me as far away from my father as possible before he really went over the edge" Serana said plainly.

"Well, there's no telling until we find her" Arthius said as he lifted his shield.

"Yes…yes, you're right. I'm sorry. I just…didn't expect anyone to care how I felt about her. Thank you" she said smiling at Arthius. "Now let's get that portal open" she said as she opened her palm. "Alright, here goes" she said as she slit it, dropping blood in the vessel. The center began to spiral and emit a iridescent purple as the stones turned into stairs to the balcony to a large portal in the ground.

"By the blood of my ancestors…"Serana said shocked "She actually did it…created a portal to the Soul Cairn. Incredible" Serana said turning to Arthius.

"Ready when you are" Serana smiled at Arthius. He began to descend the steps before he felt a pain shoot through him. It quickly drained as he began to collapse. He was pulled from behind up the stairs.

"Are you alright? That looked painful" Serana said with some concern.

"What happened?" Arthius asked.

"Now that I think about it…I should have expected that. Sorry. It's hard to describe. The Soul Cairn is…well, hungry, for a lack of a better word. It's trying to take your life essence as a payment" Arthius rubbed his forehead for a moment, annoyed at all the barriers.

"So there's no way in, then" Arthius said looking around with frustration. Serana looked at him nervously before replying.

"There might be, but I don't think you're going to like it" Serana said with concern "Vampires aren't counted among the living. I could probably go through there-"Serana said. Arthius had heard enough.

"So you're saying I'd have to become vampire" Arthius said with an annoyed tone. "Is there another way?"

"Maybe" she began "We could just "pay the toll". I can temporarily soul trap you but-"

"No, I'm not doing that" Arthius said as he began to look around the room.

"I'm sorry. I wish I knew a better way, something that would be easier for you" she said with an empathizing tone. Arthius looked at Serana a moment before responding.

"I'll become a vampire" he said with a serious tone.

"Are you sure? You'd become the very thing you've sworn to destroy. I don't know how the Dawnguard will react"

"To oblivion with the Dawnguard, let's do this" Arthius said a bit nervous. Serana looked away before speaking.

"Turning someone is a very… personal thing for vampires. It's intimate…for us" she said looking back at Arthius "I don't want you to feel like I'm forcing you into this "Arthius smiled at Serana.

"Then, I'm glad you're the one doing it" Arthius said. Serana smiled back.

"Let's not waste too much time, then" she said as she leaned in. She carefully put Arthius head to the side, putting her lips to his neck. She inhaled his scent before opening her mouth. She bit her tongue to release blood before biting into his neck, carefully. She swallowed a small amount of blood, savoring the taste. It was by far the best she's tasted. It was fresh yet aged, she could taste his soul in his blood. She let her blood enter his system before she felt a sudden energy pulse through her. She…felt him, she felt the pain, the loneliness, the hurt and even…love. She pulled her mouth from him. He wavered slightly and she had to prop him against her. He began to stand and he looked her in the eyes. She watched as his skin paled. She listened as his heart beat ceased. And she almost let out a gasp when she saw the eyes she admired turn gold. She was sad for him, but she also felt closer to him than ever before. She felt as though she should back away when he put his hands on her hips. She looked at him with sad eyes as he put his palm on her cheek, and wiped away a tear she didn't know she dropped. He began to lean in slowly, as did she. Their foreheads touched as they stared into each other's eyes. They stayed like this until she began to lean in further, he soon followed. Their lips met and locked, Serana never wanting it to end. And Arthius gladly obeying if she asked.

**Whoo, that was my longest chapter so far and probably my favorite. Please let me know what you guys think and correct me on any lore mistakes I may have made. Please leave a review, even if you don't follow the story as it's what drives me to continue. **

**Thanks for reading.**


	8. Hidden Feelings

Arthius wrapped his arms around Serana, pulling her closer. They hadn't broken from their kiss since they began, but Arthius didn't even notice, nothing else mattered at the moment. Serana couldn't believe what was happening, there were times she hated Arthius, wanted to bed him, thought of him as her best friend, even like a brother, but what she felt about him now, the others couldn't even compare. After a few more moments, Serana broke the kiss slowly, looking down at the floor. She then turned her head and rested it on Arthius' shoulder as Arthius rested his chin on hers.

"Arthius," Serana began after a long silence "I don't think this is right. I mean, we've never showed-"

"You're thinking about when you told me that turning someone is intimate, aren't you?" Arthius asked, cutting her off "And you've never turned someone before, so you don't know if both people are supposed to feel this way"

"Yeah, basically" Serana said with her usual plain tone "Look, I don't know if this is how it is now, or if it will wear off, or- something. I just don't know. I'm just saying this because I don't want one of us to get hurt" Serana grew slightly tense " We just have too much at stake for false emotions to be dragging us down. We have enough on our plate as is, and I don't think we-"

She was cut off as Arthius put his hand on the sides of her head placed her in front of him. He then pulled her into a passionate kiss. Serana basically melted and became putty in his arms as all the fear and anxiety washed out of her. She placed her hands on his chest as he broke from the kiss.

"Let's go find your mother, alright?" Arthius said with a smile. Serana responded by resting her head on his shoulder again.

"In a moment" She said. Arthius chuckled before putting his hands on her hips and returning his chin to her shoulder again. They soon separated and Arthius began to descend the steps. Serana watched with concern, and Arthius noticed this. Arthius smirked at Serana before taking on a full sprint into the portal.

"Arthius! Damnit!" Serana shouted as she rushed in after him. As she ran through, all she saw was the purple darken She felt lighter for some reason, and before she knew it, she ran straight into the back of Arthius. She fell on her backside cursing aloud. She looked up to see Arthius standing still, and she didn't enjoy how he barely moved. She stood up and looked around at what had frozen Arthius. The land was gray and barren with ancient constructs crumbling or pieces scattered throughout the land. Souls were walking about, moaning in their misery. She looked up at a nightmarish sky, with specters flying around.

"Gods" Serana said as she scoped the area "My mother must have been terrified to come here"

"The entire place looks…dead" Arthius' eyes widened as he heard himself "You know, coming from the other end it feels rather awkward to use that term" Arthius said as he looked towards Serana. She looked back at him with an annoyed expression. Arthius smiled at this as he put his hand to her cheek. Serana put her hand over his and took a step towards him. Arthius shook his head slightly before removing his hand.

"Okay, this might become an issue" Arthius said as he looked away. Serana smiled as she grabbed the front of his armor and pulled him into a kiss. She broke it and smiled intensely as she stared into his eyes.

"Oh, well I hope we can overcome it" Serana said as she put her hand around his head.

"You need to work on your self-control" Arthius smirked at her.

"If I didn't, I would have ripped your head off by now" Serana said plainly as she released him "Plus, you started it"

Arthius chuckled as he began to descend the steps. Serana followed, releasing the breath she's been holding in for so long. She was truly terrified of all of this, it's not that she didn't trust Arthius, she's just scared of being alone again.

"_What in the divines are you doing?"_ Arthius heard as he walked down the gray path. "_You're the damn dragonborn, not some vampire's lover!"_ Arthius released an annoyed huff. "_And now, it can be the other way around"_ Arthius thought. He had actually become a damn vampire, the thing that he vowed to destroy. He slightly turned to Serana, watching as she stared at the ground. This woman that came out of nowhere, with daddy issues with a mad vampire lord who plots to destroy the sun, has completely taken control of Arthius' life. And he had absolutely no idea.

As they continued to walk, Arthius heard a loud growl as he turned to the right. They were approached by what seemed to be three floating skeletons from the waist up, shrouded in darkness.

"Serana!" Arthius shouted as they grew closer. Serana's eyes sprang open as she looked at the creatures. She gave Arthius an annoyed look before continuing down the path, leaving Arthius to face them alone.

The first lunged as Arthius blocked its axe, the he swung his sword to its side destroying it. He charged the other two, bashing one back while he stabbed the other one. He turned to the stunned skeleton as he cut it down quickly. Arthius looked at the remains of the creatures before looking at Serana who was simply watching.

"Well, that was pathetic" Arthius said as he sheathed his sword. Serana raised an eyebrow at him. Arthius smirked as he began down the path once again, but as he passed her, she grabbed him by the arm. He turned to her as she looked at him out of the corner of her eye.

"This might not be the best place to do this" Arthius said calmly as he began wrap his arms around her. She placed her head on his shoulder, putting her hand on his breast plate.

"Probably not, but it seems as though we're not getting over this anytime soon…so I figure…" She then looked up at Arthius with a small smile. Arthius leaned in and kissed her passionately. She leaned into him as he tightened his arms around her waist. Serana grinned as she put her forehead to Arthius'.

"Ok, I feel as though we should try and delay this for a while, at least until we find the scroll" Serana said. Arthius flicked her in the temple. Serana winced before looking up at him. Arthius smiled down at her, raising an eyebrow.

"You started it" he said with a smirk. Serana smiled at him before turning towards the path once again.

"_Well done, way to make a fool of yourself once again"_ The voice in Arthius' head spoke. He couldn't disagree as the warrior in him grew impatient of the romantic crap. If this was a side effect of being turned, he didn't enjoy it, or maybe he did. He wasn't even sure anymore as he followed Serana towards a large keep surrounded by some sort of magical barrier. They ascended the steps as Arthius saw a woman inside. She wore the same kind of royal vampire armor Serana wore.

"Mother?" Serana said as she rushed towards the barrier. Arthius watched as the woman's eyes sprang open, but not with joy.

"Maker…it can't be…Serana?!" the woman spoke as she approached the barrier.

"Is it really you? I can't believe it!" Serana said with pure joy "How do we get inside? We need to talk"

"Serana? What are you doing here? Where's your father?" the woman asked. Arthius wasn't exactly surprised at the fact that the woman didn't exactly give Serana a warm welcome. From what he had heard from Serana she seemed like a bit of a bitch. Even then, he couldn't help but somehow feel hurt, like as if she had said something to him. He looked over to Serana to see the excitement in her face drain, as she went back to a plain expression. He knew she was hurt, but it wasn't so much of a gut feeling as it was as if she had just plainly told him. And all he could think about was breaking through the barrier and snapping her mother's neck for causing Serana pain.

"_Gods, what in oblivion is the matter with me!?"_ Arthius thought as he paid attention to the situation at hand.

"Mother, he doesn't know we're here. Look, I don't have time to explain" Serana explained. She seemed to ignore everything she had just said as she continued on.

"I must have failed. Harkon's found a way to decipher the prophecy hasn't he?" The woman asked as if she already knew the answer. Like a mother who caught her child in the act and is only asking to see if they will tell the truth.

"No, you've got it all wrong. We're here to stop the prophecy" Serana replied. Valerica looked at her daughter a moment before she noticed someone standing behind her.

"Wait a moment…you've brought a stranger here? Have you lost your mind?!" She asked as she stared at Arthius. Arthius looked up at her, glancing at Serana.

"No, you don't-"Serana began before she was cut off.

"You. Come forward. I would speak with you" she said, pointing a finger at Arthius. Arthius calmly approached the barrier as the woman looked him up and down.

"So, how is it that a vampire of mixed blood is in the company of my daughter?" she asked. Arthius scoffed slightly, as if he were insulted.

"If you think that I would harm her, you're mistaken. I was the one that saved her from your idiotic plans" Arthius said.

"I find your choice of words interesting considering that Serana is in far more danger now than she was following my "Idiotic plan". Serana has sacrificed everything to prevent Harkon-"

"Sacrifice?!" Arthius broke in "You sealed her away in a tomb without her own consent!" The woman kept her calm face, just like Serana would.

"And why do you think that is? You think I'd have the audacity seal my daughter in that tomb for the protection of her elder scroll alone?" She began. Arthius was slightly taken back by this. Fearing that he might hear what he's been thinking all along.

"The scrolls are merely a means to an end. The key to the Tyranny of the Sun is Serana herself" The woman said. Arthius closed his eyes, and let the words sink in. When he didn't reply, the woman continued.

"When I fled Castle Volkihar, I fled with two elder scrolls. The scroll I presume you found with Serana speaks of Auriel and his arcane weapon, Auriel's Bow. The second scroll declares that "The Blood of Coldharbour's Daughter will blind the eye of the Dragon"

"As in either you or Serana" Arthius said.

"Now you're beginning to see why I wanted to protect Serana, and why I've kept the other elder scroll as far from her as possible" The woman stated.

"So Harkon means to kill her" Arthius said.

"In his eyes, she'd be dying for the good of all vampires" she said plainly.

"I would never allow that to happen" Arthius said with a small growl.

"And how exactly do you plan on completing the prophecy without the death of my daughter?" she asked.

"I'll kill Harkon" Arthius quickly replied.

"If you believe that, then you're a bigger fool than I originally suspected. Don't you think I weighed that option before I enacted my plans?" she asked.

"Have you even considered Serana's opinion in this?" Arthius questioned as his rage built.

"You care nothing for Serana or our plight" she said. Arthius grew furious as she continued.

"You see the Tyranny of the Sun as your chance at deification, and like Harkon you won't hesitate to destroy anything that stands in your path" She said as she turned back to Serana.

"This stranger may call himself a vampire, but he knows nothing of our struggle. Why should I entrust you to him?" she glared slightly. Serana stepped forward, standing beside Arthius.

"This "stranger" has done more for me in the brief time I've known him than you've done in centuries!" Serana glared right back at her mother. "_And I'm willing to do so much more"_ Arthius grew annoyed at the voice in his head.

"How dare you! I gave up everything I cared about to protect you from that fanatic you call a father!" the woman spoke angrily.

"Yes, he's a fanatic…he's changed. But he's still my father. Why can't you understand how that makes me feel?" Serana asked. The woman put her hand to her forehead.

"Oh, Serana. If you'd only open your eyes. The moment your father discovers your role in the prophecy, that he needs your blood, you'd be in terrible danger." She spoke.

"So to protect me you decided to shut me away from everything I cared about? You never asked me if hiding me in that tomb was the best course of action, you just expected me to follow you blindly" Serana spoke, as she had been holding this in for far too long. "Both of you were obsessed with your own paths. Your motivations might have been different but in the end, I'm still just a pawn to you, too. I want us to be a family again. But I don't know if we can ever have that. Maybe we don't deserve that happiness. Maybe it isn't for us. But we have to stop him. Before he goes too far. And to do that, we need the elder scroll" Serana said calmly, her previous anger was satisfied.

"I'm sorry, Serana. I didn't know…I didn't see. I allowed my hatred for your father to estrange us for too long. Forgive me. If you want the elder scroll, it's yours" she said as she turned back to Arthius. "Your intentions are still somewhat unclear to me. But for Serana's sake, I'll assist you in any way that I can"

"Do you have the scroll with you?" Arthius asked, his anger subsided.

"Yes, I've kept it safely secured here ever since I was imprisoned. Fortunately, you're in a position to breach the barrier that surrounds these ruins."

"What do we do?" Arthius asked, a bit annoyed at all the trouble they must go through.

"You need to locate the tallest rocky spires that surround these ruins. At their bases, the barrier's energy is being drawn from unfortunate souls that have been exiled here. Destroy the keepers that are tending them, and it should bring the barrier down" she explained. Arthius turned towards Serana before he heard Valerica speak up again.

"One more word of warning. There's a dragon that calls itself Durnehviir roaming the cairn. Be wary of him. The ideal masters have charged him with overseeing the keepers, and will undoubtedly intervene if you're perceived as a threat" she said.

"We will return shortly" Arthius said with a nod. He walked down the steps and Serana glanced at her mother once more before following him. As they walked Arthius looked over to her.

"Seems like you're still upset at your mother" Arthius said with some concern. Serana glanced at him.

"I feel a bit better after speaking to her, but I guess I should be after she locked me away" Serana said plainly.

"But if she didn't, you might not have ever met me" Arthius said with a smirk. Serana suddenly stopped walking. As did Arthius. She gave him an annoyed look before it slowly turned into a smile. She laughed at what he said before walking to him and placing her hands on his head.

"I should be upset at that, but I feel as though it was cute enough for you to get away with it" she said as she leaned in. It was a relieving kiss, and Arthius didn't care at all that she broke her own deal.

"Gods" Valerica said as she put her hand to her forehead. She had been thinking about what her daughter had said, she then looked up to barely make two figures holding each other in the far distance. "My daughter is in love with that fool"

**There it is you guys, I'm sorry it's kind of short, especially with the long wait. I've been having horrible writer's block, and I've been considering many choices in where this story should go, being set on an idea one day, then hating it the next. Please leave a review whether you loved it or hated it as nothing inspires me more than seeing a new review posted for this story. **

**Also, if anyone sees a good picture that fits this story or would like to make one, please let me know either in your review or in a PM.**

**Thanks for reading.**


	9. Inner Beast

They approached an assortment of ruined pillars guarded by a few of the skeletal beings.

"Those…things are back" Arthius said simply, knowing of what little threat the actually pose. Serana gave him a smile before sending three ice spikes through the beings, killing them instantly.

"For future reference, they're known as mist men" Serana said as she dispelled her ice spike. Arthius smiled at this.

"you mean they _Were_ called mist men" he said as he surveyed the scene, watching as they disintegrated. Serana grinned before slowly approaching Arthius and putting her hands on his chest smiled into her eyesand put his forehead to hers. She closed her eyes, and as she began to lean in to kiss him, Arthius quickly sidestepped. Sending her crashing to the floor. Arthius almost laughed at how her arms flailed as she fell onto her face. Serana looked up at Arthius with a hatred he's never seen before, he almost jumped back in fear. Her expression slowly changed back to a calm one as she slowly got up and brushed herself off.

"You seem to have fallen down" Arthius said with a chuckle. Serana slowly walked to him again and stood in front of him with her arms at her sides. She looked him in the eyes for a moment before speaking.

"Arthius?" she called for his attention plainly.

"Yes?" Arthius replied. In less than a heartbeat, Serana had her hand around Arthius' throat and was choking the life from him. She slowly pulled him down to his knees as he fought to free himself.

"Please look at me" She said to him. Arthius looked her in the eyes, still unable to get a breath. "If it isn't too much trouble, please don't toy with my feelings again. Do you understand?" she spoke in such a calm voice as she choked the life out of him. Arthius violently nodded before she raised him to his feet and let him go. Before he could breathe, she gave him rough kiss, aking sure he still could'nt get a single breath of air. She then pushed him down onto his back as he gasped violently for air.

"Glad to hear it" she said with a smirk. Arthius lied there in sience, his chest didn't rise at all and Serana could'nt even sense him.

"Arthius?" Serana asked as she approached him. As she approached his side, he grabbed her by the ankle and pulled her down. Forcing a small shriek from her as she was pulled on top of him. Arthius laughed loudly as she looked down at him with shocked eyes. She then sat on top of him, forcing the air from his chest to be squeezed out. Arthius then flpped her over to her back and placed himself atop. She struggled, and Arthius soon pinned her arms down as he placed a large kiss on her ips. Serana closed her eyes and stopped struggling. After the kiss was broken, she smiled up at him.

"You know, if we would have just done that in the first place, we wouldn't have had to do any of this nonsense" she said as she placed her hand on his cheek.

"I enjoy mixing things up" Arthius said with a smirk. Serana then hit him in the jaw with a right hook, sending him off of her. As she stood up, Arthius looked up at her with questioning eyes.

"What was that for?" Arthius asked.

"I told you not to play with my emotions. Acting dead counts" she said in a matter of fact kind of tone. Arthius lifted himself from the ground, trying as hard as he could to ignore whatever the voice in his head was saying. They approached some sort well between the pillars, it had a strange magical platform on top that glowed mixes of whites and purples. Serana eyed it cautiously as Arthius looked over it. He then stepped onto it. Serana cried in horror as Arthius exploded into black smoke. She began to panic but soon felt his life source not far from where she was. "_How do I feel his life source?"_ she questioned to herself. She was somewhat aware that some feelings were going to rise from her turning him. But ever since then, she feels more than just a bond with him. She feels some sort of magical force is telling her what she should know about him. She figured she should save these thoughts for later as she stepped onto the platform after Arthius and was consumed by darkness. She opened her eyes to see Arthius finishing off a mist man. As she surveyed the area, she noticed that they were quite high up in some sort of tower overlooking the entire plain of the soul cairn. She approached Arthius as he pulled his sword free from the mist man as it collapsed to the ground.

"I'm assuming the guardian is up here?" Arthius asked without looking at Serana.

"One would assume so" Serana said plainly. They turned the corner and ascended a flight of stairs. As they turned another corner, the saw spirits appearing to be bowing, and once they approached, an arrow whizzed above their heads. They turned to see a large skeletal being shrouded in darkness, wearing some sort of white armor, though it looked gray in the lighting.

"Guess that's it" Serana said.

Arthius smirked as he charged forward, evading arrows that came towards him. The Guardian began to raise its bow to smack Arthius with it, but as it came down Arthius side stepped and plunged his sword through the guardian's mid-section. Arthius smirked as he looked up to see it looking down at him. "_Oh gods"_ Arthius thought as it grabbed him by the face. Before it could do anything else, it was shot in the chest with an ice spike, stunning it. Arthius took the time to slash large gashes into it before it threw him across the floor, sending him sliding to the edge of the tower. Serana seeing this, sprinted forward, dove and grabbed his arm as he was about to slide off the tower. He was dangling by his left arm as Serana was on her stomach, overlooking the side of the tower using her left arm to push herself up and the right to hold onto Arthius. Arthius looked about as he realized where he was. Serana noticed the panic on his face as she began to pull him up.

"Please don't tell me you're afraid of heights" she pleaded. Arthius shook his head.

"No, I'm afraid of plummeting to my death" he said as he looked up at her. His eyes widened as he saw the guardian stand above Serana. It raised its boot preparing to crush her as Arthius shouted.

"Serana!" he shouted Serana took a quick glance before using all of her strength to basically throw Arthius on top of the tower. He landed on his foot and he heard a loud snap. He shouted in pain as Serana turned onto her back. The creature stomped down on Serana's midsection, cracking a rib. Serana screamed in pain as a trail of blood left the corner of her mouth. Arthius watched as he struggled to stand, but he collapsed immediately. He looked towards Serana as she looked back at him, with nothing but fear, pain, and hope filling her eyes. Arthius immediately grew furious, far more than ever before. He began to rise suddenly, but he noticed that he wasn't standing. He watched as his skin turned gray, his hands turn into claws, and his jaw stretching into fangs. He was a vampire lord. Arthius roared at the guardian before rushing towards it with great rage. It looked up before it was grabbed by Arthius and pulled off of Serana. Arthius flew back and slammed the guardian against the wall before viciously slashing at it, tearing bone and armor off of it until it was barely an outline of a figure. Arthius then picked it up with one hand and hovered towards the edge of the tower. He held it over the edge a few moments, until it slowly raised its arm towards Arthius. Arthius smirked before charging his magical grip and sending the creature flying off of the tower to fall to its death. Arthius watched as it fell, letting every fiber of rage consume him. He then roared at the top of his lungs before shifting back into his human form. He looked over at Serana with a smirk, and then he saw her face. She looked appalled at what she had just witnessed, and Arthius knew why. Serana never used her lord form, even though it may have helped in some situations. She never let herself do such a thing because it was a corrupt form and Arthius couldn't help but enjoy it. Though he always denied it, he had a feeling this was what he was meant to be. Arthius walked backwards until he hit the wall, and slid down it until he was sitting down. He looked down at his hands. He heard Serana slowly rise to her hands and knees before she crawled over to him, sitting beside him with a huff.

"You could help a woman out you know" she said giving him a small smile. Arthius didn't even bother to look up. Serana frowned as she laid her head back against the wall.

"Arthius, you did the right thing, you saved me. Well, after I saved you but no matter" Serana said. Arthius still didn't look up but responded.

"It's not that, it's that I enjoyed it" Arthius spoke. Serana looked down, unsure of what to say as Arthius added on.

"I'm just like your father" Arthius said. Serana turned to Arthius, she then punched him extremely hard in the cheek. Arthius fell before he became furious. He rose quickly and turned to Serana before grabbing her throat and lifting her off the ground. He snarled into her eyes before yelling.

"Damnit Serana! This is not the damn time to screw around!" he shouted in her face. It was then that he noticed the searing pain in his ankle as he dropped Serana and fell to one knee. Serana landed on her side, shouting as she felt her rib protest. She glared at Arthius a moment before rising to her knees. She slowly approached him as he gave her a warning look. She kept her face calm as she knelt in front of him. She put her hands around his head and rubbed the back of it before speaking.

"Arthius, I'll say this once, you are nothing like my father. He's willing to sacrifice everything for his own gain. While you risk your life to protect the lives of those around you. That's why you are the harbinger of the companions. It's why you're the dragonborn. And it's why I'm here" Serana said with a very kind smile. Arthius looked at her with sad eyes before he put his forehead to her shoulder. She held him there for a long while until a thought went through her head.

"_It's why I love you"_ Serana didn't know what to think of this. There were times she thought she loved him, but maybe they were just thoughts. Maybe all of this was just childish lust. She couldn't risk loving Arthius now that her father wanted him dead, and the amount of times he almost did die. She felt her eyes water but didn't allow a tear to fall. Arthius was the one who was in pain, and he didn't need to comfort her now. She wouldn't allow him to.

"I'm sorry" Arthius said as he raised his head. Serana gave him a small smile.

"You don't have to apologize for everything Arthius. Sometimes things just happen, and there's nothing you can do about it" Serana said as she began to rise. She felt her rib again before falling back down. Arthius mirrored her actions when he felt his ankle pop.

"Okay, we can rest for a few minutes" Arthius said as he rested against the wall. Serana nodded before sitting next to him and leaning on his shoulder. A few hours and about fifteen healing potions later, they stepped back onto the platform and back to the ground. Arthius walked ahead, not glancing at Serana. She noticed this but didn't say anything, nagging at him wouldn't help him. The other guardians weren't an issue as Arthius shot his explosive bolts as Serana shot spikes. As they started to walk back, they came across an alter with many spirits surrounding it. Arthius simply walked forward unsheathing his sword. The mist men charged at him, as Arthius swung his sword to one side cutting a mist man through the waist before slashing down another. The third slashed down as he parried and slashed off the head of another before stabbing through the previous one. Serana watched, slightly attracted at the way he danced through his enemies with such grace. Arthius approached the alter and picked up what seemed to be a horse head. As soon as he lifted it from the alter, a skeletal horse with a bluish purple flame coming from the inside of it. Serana charged an ice spike as Arthius petted its long nose. It neighed and Arthius laughed as he stoked it down the back.

"That thing is disturbing" Serana spoke crossing her arms. "You know that it's magical right? You know, the thing that you hate. The thing that could possibly blot out the sun and end life as you know it"

"I don't care, this is a beautiful creature" Arthius said as he began to mount it.

"Well, you don't like magic" Serana said pouting playfully. Arthius smiled at her, holding out his hand. Serana grinned broadly as she took his hand and side rode on the horse. She didn't really sit on the bones, but instead there was some sort of force holding her, like a cushion. Arthius was excited to ride this skeletal being, and as soon as Serana held his waist, he whipped the reins and the horse dashed off at great speed. Arthius noticed that he didn't even need to hold the reins as something was holding him to the seat.

"I have no idea how this works but I love it!" Arthius exclaimed as Serana laughed behind him. They stopped in front of the barrier and Arthius dismounted. As he held his hand to help Serana, she smirked at him before hopping off the horse.

"Don't be a woman" Serana said plainly as she brushed by a stunned Arthius. Arthius watched her ascend the steps and followed. Serana's mother was waiting for them on top of the steps, now that the barrier was down. She approached them as she spoke.

"You managed to destroy all three keepers? Impressive" she said as she put her hands on her hip. Arthius merely nodded.

"Can we have the scroll now?" Arthius said with an annoyed tone. Valerica raised an eyebrow at him.

"Yes. This way. Please follow me. Keep watch for Durnehviir, with the barrier down, he's almost certain to investigate" she said as she began to walk back to the keep. Serana walked ahead of her, and Arthius noticed that she paused when Serana passed her. He pondered why she did that as he followed them into a large courtyard.

"Wait…I hear something" Serana hesitated. As Arthius began to ask what she had heard, a large dragon roared from the other side of the courtyard as lighting struck down.

"It's Durnehviir…he's here. Defend yourselves!" Valerica exclaimed as she unsheathed her ebony sword. Arthius took out his crossbow and readied himself. "_Give me a break! C'mon now, this is ridiculous!" _he thought.

**That's the end of chapter nine. I know that this chapter was around the same length as the last one but I cut a few paragraphs off of it because I wanted to hold off the reveal. The next one will probably be my longest chapter yet, or it will be around the same length of my current longest chapter.**

**Please be sure to leave a review. I sincerely enjoy reading them.**

**Thanks for reading.**


	10. Answers

**Quick Note: I would like to thank you guys for getting this story this far. Your reviews are really what get me to continue these, so be sure to drop one whether to comment or ask a question and I'll be sure to answer it the best I can. **

**Read on.**

Arthius readied himself as Durnehviir flew towards them. He peered back at Serana and her mother, noticing that their stances were exactly the same. "_Guess that's where Serana learned to fight"_ Arthius thought. He then thought back to the companions teaching him to properly wield a blade. He also thought of Kodlak and…"_oh gods, Farkas is going to kill me for_ _becoming a vampire"_ Arthius' eyes shot open as the dragon roared a wave of purple flames down at him. Arthius raised his shield to block it just in time to protect himself. He turned to see the vampires creating a large ward to fend off the flames. As he turned back around, he barely had time to duck a mist man's sword before slashing its waist and destroying it. The next was shot down by ice spikes, as was the next. Arthius watched as the mist men in front of him were picked off by the spikes. His mind drifted back to the companions and…"_Oh gods, what will Aela think of me having feelings towards another woman? Then again, should she care? Gods, I need to have a talk with her. Then again, what does Lydia think in all this? Does she have feelings towards me? Or is she just filling out her-"_Arthius was cut from his thoughts as Durnehviir landed in front of him. "_Not the damn time!"_ he thought as he charged forward. Durnehviir snapped at Arthius but he blocked it. Arthius then ducked left, then jumped right while slashing Durnehviir across the face. Durnehviir roared as it turned to smack Arthius with its tail. Arthius ducked the large tail before shouting.

"FUS RO DAH" Arthius shouted, sending Durnehviir head first into the ground as the beast tried to regain its balance. It turned and roared fire at Arthius. He barely had enough time to raise his shield, and as the fire stopped, Durnehviir struck Arthius hard in the upper right side of his body with its tail. Arthius basically did a midair cart wheel as he was flipped over onto his side. Durnehviir turned back to Arthius before it was shot in the face with an ice spike. Serana charged it with her dagger, stabbing him in the face. Durnehviir roared as it shook its head violently, knocking Serana back and onto the ground. Durnehviir took flight once more as Serana helped Arthius to his feet.

"This bastard's tough" Arthius said as he watched Durnehviir fly through the air. Serana grabbed his face, squishing his cheeks as she turned it to face her.

"Arthius, you're a vampire now. Meaning that fire will hurt a lot more than it did before" she said as she turned his face checking for burns. Arthius put his hands up and pushed her hands off of him.

"I can wear my masque if you want" he said. She looked at him shocked.

"Your what!? How long have-"she was cut off by her mother's scream.

"Serana!" she screamed as Durnehviir roared as it flew down behind them, holding its claws out preparing to grab them. Arthius quickly pushed Serana out of the way before he was snatched by Durnehviir.

"ARTHIUS!" Serana screamed as she watched him be carried away. Arthius struggled to free his sword. "_Not like this"_ he thought as he feared what might happen once he was carried too far off the ground. He then thought of his life up to this point. He thought of the companions, Alduin, and Serana. When Serana came to mind, he grew furious, he still had to try and save her. He wouldn't allow himself to die now. "_Not like this!"_ he grew furious as he freed his arm and began to stab Durnehviir in the stomach. Durnehviir roared in anger as Arthius continued until there was a decent gash in his stomach. Arthius readied himself before he looked up and shouted.

"VEN GAAR NOS" he shouted into Durnehviir's stomach, forming a cyclone within. Durnehviir roared as it felt its insides being torn apart. Durnehviir gave one last roar before it crashed into the wall of the keep, sending Arthius plummeting to the ground. Serana watched in horror as he fell, feeling the life force drain from him.

"Arthius" it was basically a whisper as tears fell from her eyes. She covered her mouth as her legs wobbled beneath her. She then felt a small trace of his life force within her. Her eyes sprang open as she began to sprint towards the wreck of the destroyed wall.

"ARTHIUS!" Serana screamed as she approached the wreckage. She tore away rubble and stone until she found a steel plate gauntlet. She grabbed it and pulled until Arthius was dragged out of the rubble. He was a bloody mess and he wasn't breathing. Serana emitted a small gasp as she put her shaking hand on his face. Valerica approached her daughter, looking over her daughter's shoulder at the man in front of her.

"Serana…" Valerica said as she put her hand on her daughter's shoulder. Serana violently shuck it off as she began to remove Arthius' chest plate and gauntlets.

"No" she said calmly as she put her head to his chest. She listened for a heartbeat before she realized that vampires had none. She slammed her fist down in frustration.

"Damnit! How in the bloody divines am I supposed to know if he's even alive, if he doesn't even have a damn heartbeat?" She said with an annoyed tone.

"Serana…" Valerica said again.

"No" Serana said calmly again.

"Serana" Valerica said sternly.

"NO!" Serana screamed back at her mother, snarling, baring her fangs. Valerica shivered at her daughter's outburst. Serana turned and began to breathe air into Arthius' mouth, and then pumping his chest. She continued these actions for minutes, and Arthius still wasn't showing any signs of life. After an hour, Valerica grew tired of this and felt as though her daughter had done this for long enough. She crouched down and grabbed her daughter by the back of her armor and began to drag her away.

"Mother, release me" Serana said as she struggled.

"This is enough Serana, for the sake of the gods, if you want him so badly just raise him as a zombie" Valerica said with an annoyed tone. Serana simply put her feet down and brought Valerica to an abrupt stop. Serana looked her mother in the eyes before punching her straight in the face as hard as she could possibly muster. Valerica flew back and landed hard on her back. Valerica stared into the sky, completely stunned, both physically and emotionally. Serana simply turned on her heel and walked back to Arthius and knelt before him. She looked down at him, no longer feeling any life force from him. She didn't cry, she just felt empty. She soon felt anger build in her as she pounded down on Arthius' chest. She looked up, half expecting him to cough up blood and begin to breathe normally. Her mind began to swerve as she feared she might pass out on top of his corpse. "_His corpse…"_ Serana grew furious at herself. "_No! I'm not giving in that easily!"_ Serana thought as she began to breathe into his mouth again. She didn't bother to pump his chest as she knew she wouldn't be getting anywhere with it. She continued for what felt like hours…and then he inhaled. She knelt back in shock, she began to breathe into his mouth with rapid breaths until he sprang up and coughed before falling back and taking in a large breath before his eyes sprang open. Serana let the tears fall as she cradled his head, laughing. She pulled him into her, holding him to her as her laugh turned to sobbing. She put her forehead to his as he slowly put his hand behind her head. She laid him back down, her tears falling onto his face. Arthius smiled up at her, his left eye swollen. Serana gave a small laugh before embracing him again.

"Well" Arthius wheezed "it…could have gone-"Arthius was cut off as Serana laughed again as she kissed him. Her eyebrows twitched as she tried to make a serious expression.

"Arthius. If you ever do something so…stupid again-"she stopped as she sniffed "literally kill you" was all Serana could get out as she lied down beside Arthius, holding him tightly.

"Do we have any more healing potions?" Arthius grunted. Serana looked at him.

"We used them all back at the tower" she said as she nuzzled closer to him.

"Don't worry, vampires heal much more quickly than others" she said. Arthius huffed slightly as he looked up at the sky, putting his arm around Serana. Valerica watched with a scowl, wiping away another small trail of blood. "_How this fool has somehow enthralled my daughter is beyond me"_ she thought bitterly. "_But…I've never seen her so happy"_ Valerica's mood softened as she thought about this. He had definitely been keeping her safe, allowing himself to be captured by that damned dragon in order to protect Serana. She still couldn't truly believe Durnehviir was defeated, but for how long? Valerica huffed before walking over to her alchemy table, preparing a few healing potions and grabbing a few bloodpotions before walking back to them. As she approached, Serana gave her mother a look of both apology and warning. Valerica nodded as she knelt on the opposite side of Arthius. She grabbed the back of his head and tilted it upwards, making Serana slightly wince as she rose to kneel. Valerica then poured two healing potions into Arthius' mouth. Arthius slowly began to sit up, feeling the affects immediately. Serana tore another piece from Arthius' tunic and began wiping away the blood that covered him. Valerica stood and began to walk back to her table, leaving the blood potions next to Serana. Serana finished up as Arthius pushed her hand away feeling like a child. Serana laughed, wiping away the last of her tears as she hugged Arthius again.

"I truly thought you were dead" she said as she began to hand him his armor. Arthius gave her a bold look before putting on his chest plate.

"It'll take a lot more than some undead dragon to kill me" Arthius said with a smirk. Seeing Serana still have an uncomfortable look, Arthius gently put his hand to her cheek.

"I'm not leaving you, I promise" Arthius said calmly.

"Don't make a promise you can't keep Arthius" Serana said plainly. Arthius smiled kindly at her.

"I'm not" Arthius stated. Serana smiled as she placed a quick kiss on his lips before standing up and holding her arm out at him. Arthius chuckled before smacking her hand away and slowly rising to his feet.

"Don't be a woman" Arthius grinned as he put on his gauntlets. Serana laughed heartedly as she began to walk towards her mother.

Valerica stood, looking at the rubble of the wall. Serana approached her mother, followed by a limping Arthius. When she said nothing, Arthius cleared his throat. Valerica looked at them a moment before turning back to the ruins.

"I never thought I'd see the death of that dragon" she said simply. Arthius and Serana didn't respond, they just stood there and waited.

"I must warn you, you probably didn't kill it" Valerica said plainly. Arthius and Serana looked up suddenly, eyes wide.

"What do you mean?" Serana asked.

"It's possible that your killing blow has merely displaced Durnehviir's physical form while it reconstitutes itself"

"That explains why I didn't absorb his soul" Arthius said. Valerica looked up at him questionably.

"You what?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"He's the dragonborn" Serana said plainly. Valerica looked at Arthius, looking him up and down with a shocked face.

"Well, that's…interesting" she said, her expression turning back to a calm one.

"Anyways, let's just not wait around to find out when Durnehviir returns" Valerica said as she walked into a small hole in the wall with an alchemy table and a large case. She then unlatched the case, opening it to reveal the elder scroll. She turned to Arthius and nodded, allowing him to retrieve it. Arthius began to limp forward, but Serana grew tired of it. She paced forward and picked up the scroll, making Arthius give her a small grunt of annoyance.

"Now that you've retrieved the Elder Scroll, you should be on your way" Valerica said. Serana merely nodded as Arthius stepped closer.

"And what about you? Are you staying here?" Arthius asked, getting a look from Serana.

"I have no choice" Valerica responded "As I told you before, I'm a daughter of Coldharbour. If I return to Tamriel, that increases Harkon's likelihood of bringing the Tyranny of the Sun to fruition " Arthius looked towards Serana who had her arms crossed and was looking at the floor.

"We could use your help in Tamriel" Arthius stated, ignoring the glance from Serana.

"As much as it pains me to send you and Serana back alone, I can't take the risk. Just remember that Harkon is not to be trusted. No matter what he promises, he'll deceive you in order to get what he wants" Valerica said looking towards her Serana "And promise me you'll continue to keep my daughter safe. She's the only thing of value I have left" Serana looked up slightly at this. Arthius smiled, before nodding and turning away from Serana's mother.

"My name is Valerica by the way" she spoke. Arthius turned to face her, holding out his hand smiling.

"Arthius" he said as she shook it. Arthius continued out of the entrance as Serana followed, only for Valerica to speak.

"If I may have a moment with my daughter, Arthius?" Valerica spoke. Arthius nodded at Valerica before limping away. Leaving the mother and daughter by themselves. Serana crossed her arms as she looked at her mother.

"What would you like?" Serana said with a plain tone. Valerica looked at the entrance of the opening before replying.

"It's about your little relationship with him" Valerica said. Serana scowled slightly at her mother before responding.

"Mother, I understand if you're concerned but I can reassure you that Arthius is a good man"

"That's not what I'm trying to speak to you about Serana"

"Then what? What could possibly be the reason you want to speak about us?"

"Serana, if you'll just understand-"Valerica was cut off by her daughter.

"I know you worry about me, I understand that you don't want me to get hurt. But separating me from the things I care about is obviously not the way to do it. Arthius has been protecting me better than you have in your existence. He actually cares about how I feel, and unlike you, he doesn't ignore me and then try and corrupt me" Serana said with venom. Valerica scowled at her daughter, never feeling so hurt. But she brushed it off as she continued.

"Serana, I need to know. Are you the one who turned Arthius?" Valerica asked plainly.

"Mother, if you are insisting that this is just lust-"Serana began.

"And I'm assuming these feelings didn't appear until immediately after you turned him" Valerica said. Serana's eyes widened slightly at this.

"What are you-"

"Serana, this was your first time turning someone. Which means that this will be extremely stronger than any other time. What you both are experiencing is a blood bond. Nothing more" Valerica said as she crossed her arms. Serana stared at her mother questionably. Feeling her head spin as she tried to take this in.

"A blood what?" Serana said in a whimper. To believe that what she felt was anything but real was…heartbreaking.

"A blood bond is a magical attachment that a vampire has with another that it has turned. Like a mother's instinct. Honestly Serana, with all the books you read I expected you to-"Valerica's voice faded out as Serana's head ached increasingly. She thought of every kiss, every embrace, and every second of pure joy she shared with Arthius. The man who truly understood her, the man who truly cared, the man that loved her. All of it was a lie. Another side effect of being a vampire. Serana nodded at her mother and began to walk away, out of the opening. Towards the entrance of the barrier, still deep in thought and panic at what she had just heard. As she walked through the entrance, she watched as Durnehviir flew away from Arthius. Serana simply continued to walk down the steps, staring at Arthius, unsure of what to say. Arthius looked up at her with a smile, tearing Serana's soul out as she watched it fade as he saw her face. She walked down the steps and immediately pulled Arthius into a tight hug. Arthius held her there before looking at her with questioning eyes.

"What did she say to you?" Arthius asked as he began to fume. Serana made a small smile at this before responding.

"It's nothing Arthius"

"Serana, you're paler than usual" Arthius said with a stern face. Serana sighed slightly before looking around her.

"May we speak about this in a more comfortable area?" Serana said with a small smile, though she knew Arthius could tell that she was hurting.

"Yes, I think I've seen enough of this place" Arthius nodded. He then summoned Arvak and began to mount him. He held his hand out to Serana and she took it quickly. As Serana sat atop the skeletal horse, she rested her head on Arthius shoulder as she fell back into her deep thoughts. Arthius shuffled at how she was acting but he ignored it as he would soon find his answers. Serana feared the entire ride back to the portal, unsure of how to even tell him. The horse stopped and Serana looked up to see the portal. Arthius dismounted and began to hold his hand out to Serana, but brought it back. Serana cleared her throat, getting Arthius' attention.

"Are you going to help a girl out?" she said with a raised eyebrow. Arthius smiled as he helped her off of the horse. They climbed the steps and through the portal. They arrived in Valerica's laboratory, same way as they left it. Serana began to walk towards the exit, hoping that Arthius somehow forgot.

"So what is it that's troubling you?" she heard Arthius say. Serana slowly turned to face Arthius, preparing herself for what would come next.

They stayed silent, Serana was leaning against a railing. She watched Arthius as he sat on the steps, head down. She had been as gentle as possible, but it was more for her than him. She wanted to curl up in a ball like a child, it was all she could think of. Arthius didn't take the news very well either, she had never seen him like this before. She expected rage, for him to curse the divines. But he was just…sad. She felt the spirit in him flood away, as he heard everything she had to say. Afterwards, he just sat down. They were like this for several hours before Arthius suddenly stood up. Serana stared at him before he turned. She could tell what he meant by her looking pale, as Arthius now seemed pure white. Serana stared into his eyes for several moments before speaking.

"So…what would you have us do?" she asked. Arthius just shrugged as he picked up his sword.

"What is there to do Serana? We don't know anything about this. Just that…I'm not even sure about that" Arthius said, looking towards the wall. Serana looked at the floor, confused at what to say.

"Let's just focus on getting to Whiterun with the scrolls for now" Arthius said plainly. Serana looked up, she eyed him for a moment before nodding. Arthius began to limp up the stairs, but soon had to stop for breath. Serana seeing this smiled slightly, she then approached him and put his arm around her shoulder to help him walk.

"Something happen to you recently?" Serana asked sarcastically. Arthius gave her a look before replying.

"Had a bit of a near death experience" Arthius smirked.

"This coming from a vampire" Serana smiled.

"This coming from a vampire" Arthius repeated, getting a laugh from Serana.

After a few hours of slowly walking through the under keep, they soon reached the boat in front of the castle. Arthius was sweating heavily, and Serana knew that they had to stop at a hold to get help from a healer. Arthius began to place himself to row, when Serana grabbed him by the nape of his armor and pulled him to the other seat. Serana then sat in the boat and began to row, grinning widely the entire time.

"I can still row a damn boat" Arthius said with a huff. Serana rolled her eyes, but as she did, a snowflake landed one her left cheek. Serana slightly winced, making Arthius laugh. Arthius' laughter ended with a rough cough. Serana looked at him, worried that they may not make it to a hold. Arthius then began shivering violently, looking at Serana with a surprised expression.

"Gods, when did it get so cold?!" he stated. Serana laughed aloud before replying.

"You're a vampire, you might want to get used to feeling cold" Serana said with a smile as she rowed. Arthius didn't take the joke as she would have hoped as he just looked away shivering. Serana thought back to when he was mortal, how she would feel the warmth off of him. If he were mortal now, she'd probably just cling to him all hours of the day. Or she would if she had the same feelings for him as she did now. Serana couldn't think about anything else besides the blood bond. She thought back before Arthius had turned, searching for a sign he had feelings then. But all she could come up with was the night she lied on his shoulder when they fought. She thought about how he had taken her, and how she reacted when she discovered he was the dragonborn.

"Arthius, why didn't you tell me you were the dragonborn from the beginning?" Serana asked. Arthius looked up questionably.

"That was long ago Serana. What does it matter now?" Arthius asked. Serana stared at him for a moment, making Arthius look away.

"I didn't think it mattered" Arthius said.

"How could it not matter?"

"I just didn't think it would get you home any sooner" Arthius answered with an annoyed tone. Serana huffed before continuing.

"Well if you would have told me, I wouldn't have let you enter the castle. I would have guessed my father would try to use you. Then we wouldn't have had to run away and you wouldn't have had to stab me"

"Look Serana, we both know you didn't want to stay there, so stop with the act" Arthius said. Serana eyed him curiously.

"What's on your mind?" she asked

"Nothing"

"You've been a little off since the tower. What's bothering you?"

"I said nothing"

"There's obviously something bothering you. So what is it?" Serana asked crossing her arms, refusing to continue rowing. They sat there in silence, in the open waters, floating. Arthius looked at her with an annoyed expression, as she looked at him with her calm blank face.

"Just give me the damn oars" Arthius said as he reached out. Serana gave him a more serious look, showing no retreat in her pursuit. Arthius sighed as he hung his head.

"It's…it's not that I think I'm like Harkon" he said.

"A long time ago, I allowed myself to become a werewolf "Arthius stated. Serana wasn't shocked since he was the leader of the companions. Arthius continued.

"My rage has always been a hurdle, now try and imagine that and the beast blood at once. There would be times that I would grow furious enough to attack anything" Arthius slowly spoke. Serana knew where he was going with this.

"One night, I stumbled upon a small settlement of farmers in the wild. At first, all was well. Then the next minute…" Arthius drifted off, staring at the bottom of the boat. Serana pondered this for a few moments, realizing why it was such a large impact that he now had the power of a blood thirsty vampire lord screaming for release. She eyed him before he continued.

"I was responsible for the deaths of three families" Arthius said as he looked up at Serana with a shrug.

"It's behind me now. I know it wasn't me, it was the beast. But I won't allow it to happen again" Arthius stated. Serana slowly nodded, she knew that others would think Arthius to be cruel for not feeling miserable for what he had done. But she knew that he had not overcome the realization easily. There has to be a way to move on, and Arthius' way was to make sure history did no repeat itself. She nodded at Arthius before picking up the oars and continuing rowing, after a short while of silence, they reached land. Serana rose and slowly helped Arthius out of the boat. As they walked along the shore, Serana thought of what Arthius had said. She looked over at him, seeing that he was just looking down. Suddenly, a bolt stuck itself into Arthius' midsection. Serana's eyes widened as Arthius collapsed. She suddenly heard Arthius' name being said aloud and she turned to their attackers. There were two men and one woman dressed in in custom leather armor. Serana slowly rose as the man and woman in front raised their crossbows. The man in the back held his, but did not draw. Serana began to sprint towards them as their crossbows shot the bolts. Serana let herself fall, avoiding the bolts as she summoned an ice spike. She stood up and launched it through the chest of the male. The woman began to frantically reload her crossbow as Serana charged another spike. The woman seeing this, threw her crossbow at Serana's head. Serana ducked just in time and looked up to see the woman leap at her. Serana brought her dagger up quickly, stabbing the woman midair. Serana was knocked to the ground, pinned by the woman's corpse. The third man approached her, looking down. Serana eyed his crossbow, struggling to free herself. The man suddenly dropped his weapon and helped Serana pull off the woman on top of her. Serana quickly rose and held her dagger out at the man. He made no movements as she inspected him.

"Are you the one who said Arthius' name?" she asked.

"Yes, I met him a while back. We have- or I have a campsite nearby "The man began to walk towards Arthius, Serana unsure of his intentions followed. Once he was near, Arthius looked up at the man. His eyes sprang open as he realized who this man was.

"Agmaer"

**There you have it. Chapter ten and also my longest chapter yet. This chapter had alot of big reveals in it, and also alot more questions. Hope you guys enjoyed it and PLEASE leave some comments because this one really took it outta me. The next chapter will be up soon.**

**Thanks for reading.**


	11. Breaking Point

"Agmaer" Arthius said. Agmaer was now much more different than before. He had a few battle scars on his face, and was much more muscular. Arthius thought back to the whelp of a lad he used to be as Agmaer leaned over him.

"This might hurt" he said as he ripped the bolt out, getting a large scream of agony from Arthius.

They soon arrived at a small campsite in the snowy woods not too far from the coast. Agmaer and Serana had to wrap Arthius' arms around their shoulders to get there. Arthius had attempted to summon shadowmere multiple times but the steed did not show. He also lacked the strength to summon Arvak, so it took them about an hour to get to the camp. Once they arrived, Agmaer started a small fire as Serana placed Arthius in one of the tents to rest. After making sure he was comfortable, Serana joined Agmaer by the fireplace. They sat in silence for a few moments until Serana spoke up.

"How do you know Arthius?" She asked. Agmaer looked up slightly, never making eye contact with her.

"We met when we were joining the Dawnguard. Vampire hunters "he said. Serana eyed him cautiously before continuing.

"You are aware that he is a vampire correct?"

"Yes, I know"

"So then why help us?" Serana questioned. Agmaer looked at her for a moment, then he turned and looked towards Arthius' tent.

"I discovered that Arthius was the dragonborn. The hero of skyrim. I knew he wasn't dead, not a possibility that such a warrior could be defeated by some vampires in a cave. When he never returned…" Agmaer stopped speaking. He looked up at Serana with a serious expression.

"I'd like to wait until Arthius is here to continue if that is all right" he said. Serana gave him a questioning look but simply nodded. They stayed in silence until Agmaer rose and picked up his crossbow. Serana watched him carefully.

"I'm going to hunt before it gets too dark. I will return shortly" he simply said as he walked into the woods. Serana waited for a few more minutes before sighing loudly and rubbing her forehead. She then walked into Arthius' tent to see that he was awake. She knelt in front of him before speaking.

"How is the pain?" she asked. Arthius looked over to her for a moment before replying.

"Painful" he said with a small smirk. Serana smiled at him, seeing him as he recovered gave her peace.

"Are you strong enough to summon Arvak?" she asked. Arthius looked at her questionably.

"Why would I summon him?"

"The hunter is gone. We can probably get pretty far before he returns" Serana said as she began to grab potions from Arthius' pouch.

"We're not leaving Serana" Arthius spoke. Serana paused before looking at Arthius with a surprised look on her face.

"Arthius, we don't have the time. He may return any moment we have to-"

"Why are you in such a rush to leave? Agmaer is a companion, he won't harm us"

"He is a vampire hunter" Serana said sternly. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"So am I, and you went with me when I rescued you from that tomb" Arthius said as he propped himself up.

"You recued me, I owed you that much" Serana spoke annoyed.

"And he rescued us" Arthius barely got the words out before Serana shouted back.

"He spared us! He would have killed us both if you were wearing that masque!" Serana was furious. She never allows herself to be this angry, but to believe that Arthius wanted to stay with someone who wanted to kill his kind was maddening. Arthius became frustrated at what Serana had been saying. He knew Agmaer wasn't a threat, but Serana wasn't letting up.

"You don't know that" Arthius spoke with a scowl.

"He is literally a vampire hunter. He is assigned to kill vampires. How in the divines are you going to tell me that he would have spared us if he didn't know who you were?"

"But he does know who I am! What you're saying is completely irrelevant to what is happening. Try and think before making such idiotic decisions! If you did that more often, maybe you wouldn't have gotten yourself raped by a daedric prince!" Arthius shouted. Something in Serana finally snapped, her eyes burned with hate as she glared at Arthius. She then stood up and kicked him as hard as she could in his side. Arthius felt his bruised rib as it snapped at the impact. Arthius immediately regretted what he had said as soon as he uttered the words, but Serana was now making sure of it. She kicked him hard in the side once more before leaning over him.

"ALL I'VE BEEN DOING IS TRYING TO PROTECT YOU! AND ALL YOU'VE DONE IS HURT ME!" Serana shouted as she continued to kick Arthius on the side. Arthius felt his insides burning as he felt every kick. He soon couldn't control the rage that was building in him. He felt everything at once. The vampire lord, Alduin, his parent's own deaths. Everything that has enraged him suddenly exploded in his mind. He suddenly reached out and grabbed Serana's leg. He tightened his grip before twisting his hand, breaking Serana's ankle. She shouted in pain as she collapsed. Arthius turned and got to one knee before he was kicked in the face. Arthius collapsed as Serana pounced on top of him. She then started to punch his face while screaming down at him. Arthius reached up and grabbed Serana's hair before pulling her head down and smashing his forehead into her face. Serana shot upwards as blood spewed from her nose. Arthius then kneed her roughly in the side. Serana winced in pain as she grabbed Arthius by the face and slammed his head down. Arthius then opened his mouth and sunk his fangs in Serana's hand. She screamed in pain as she brought out her dagger. She raised it and stabbed down hard, aiming for Arthius' eyes. As soon as it was about to make contact, Serana stopped. She looked down at Arthius and then at her dagger. She stabbed the dagger into the ground beside Arthius' head before dropping her head down. Arthius still enraged violently pushed Serana off of him. She simply collapsed at his left making no attempt to catch herself. Arthius looked at her, face down and not moving. Her hair was now a mess as it covered her face, which was now covered in her blood. She basically looked dead as she lay there. Arthius looked straight up before screaming like a madman at the top of his lungs. As he did this, Serana slowly moved to the corner of the tent, turning away from Arthius. Arthius suddenly sat up and coughed up a mouthful of blood before collapsing back to the ground. He heard Serana begin to sob, and he couldn't blame her. He truly thought all of this was behind them. That all the fighting was done with, and that they could just get through all this and enjoy life. Arthius never thought of what he wanted to do once Harkon was defeated. He never thought of what would become of Serana. He wondered if that made it so he wasn't doing this for himself, or if it meant he didn't truly care about her. He had already broken his promise to Valerica. He'd done it before he even met her. Serana was right, all he did was hurt her. Every chance he got, he would find a way to hurt her. Did he truly hate her as a vampire hunter would? If so, why did she make him happier than anyone in existence? What did it mean to have these feelings towards someone? Then, it hit him, his eyes shot open as he realized it himself. It was then that he noticed his injuries, his nose was broken and his left eye was swollen. He was bleeding from his mouth and the back of his head was bleeding. His side was unbearable and he knew that he had more than one broken rib. But none of that mattered to him, he had hurt Serana and he knew she was hurt badly. She was still sobbing as he looked to her. She was on her side, curled up and looking away from Arthius. He knew she couldn't control it, and Arthius was the reason why. He reached out with his left arm, and began to slowly drag himself towards her. She was about ten feet away and every inch felt like someone was pounding him with a sack of stones. He soon reached her side where he stayed silent. Serana soon noticed him and kicked him again, but Arthius took it. He slowly inched closer, accepting all the blows she sent at him. She stayed facing away, and seemed very defensive. Arthius began to wrap his arm around her. She quickly pushed him away.

"No" Serana spoke plainly. Arthius ignored her as he tried again.

"Arthius stop!" she tried to sound angry but Arthius could hear her voice crack. He pursued before she once again yelled at him.

"Arthius!" She scolded. She saw Arthius pull his hand back slightly. She sighed as she put her hand on her forehead.

"Look, I understand. Just- I'm just tired of this. The fighting, the drama, I just wish it were simpler sometimes" she said sadly. Arthius didn't know what to say, he thought he could fix everything. But now, it seemed as though they were lost. After a few minutes, Serana spoke up.

"Arthius?"

"Yes?"

"I need to ask you something"

"Go ahead"

"Why did you stay? I'm sure there were times you wish you hadn't found me in that tomb. That it would be someone else's problem. So why did you stay?" Serana asked. Arthius paused at this. He had asked her the same question to have little to no results. He pondered his answer for several minutes before replying.

She paused there, her back still turned as she let the words sink in. She slowly turned towards Arthius. Arthius looked at her, her nose was bleeding heavily and her eyes were red from the tears. Tears were pouring from her eyes as she looked at Arthius with a questionable glance as her lip quivered.

"What?" it came out as a whisper as her hand shakily reached Arthius' face.

"I said, because I love you" Arthius said. Serana stared at Arthius. Unsure if what she had really heard what she thought she had heard. She played it over again in her head before realizing what he said.

"You…" was all she could muster. Arthius smiled at her, nodding slowly. At this, Serana sighed heavily as she looked at the ceiling.

"There was a time... I just don't know what to say Arthius. After all of this- I don't know" Serana said sadly. Arthius stared at Serana before speaking.

"Do you love me?" he asked. Serana looked at him, she searched his eyes before looking downwards.

"I- I don't know anymore. Whatever this blood bond is-"

"Forget about the blood bond. Just-"Arthius sighed before speaking.

"Just tell me what you think"

"I don't know" Serana repeated.

"Take a wild guess" Arthius smiled. Serana looked at him as she sobbed slightly. She smiled at him, nodding slowly. Arthius then wrapped his arm around her and pulled her into him. She buried her face into his chest as she continued to sob. Arthius couldn't stop the tears from falling, smiling as he held her there. They stayed there in silence. Arthius soon realized how damaged both of them were when he saw Serana's bloody hand. He soon began to separate himself from her, much to her dismay. He held her in front of him as they sat up. She looked up at him, tears still covering her face. Arthius smiled as he wiped them away. Serana began to lean into him again as he spoke.

"We should-"Arthius began.

"I'm so sorry Arthius. I don't- I mean I knew but I didn't-"Serana began before Arthius put her head to his chest, muffling her.

"All I've done is hurt you Serana, and I can't promise that I won't do it again. But I'll be sure to hurt anyone who does" Arthius spoke. Serana looked up at him as he bit into his hand, making blood leak out. Serana put her hand on the back of his head as she pulled him into their most intimate kiss yet. Serana savored it as she tasted his blood as he tasted hers. She then put her hand on his chest as she laid him down on his back. Arthius placed her on top of him as he ran his hands up and down her body. Arthius winced in pain as she sat atop of his waist. Serana noticed this and gave him a smirk, adjusting herself once more making him grunt at the pain. She laughed as Arthius gave her a playful growl as he pulled her into him again. She held his head as she kissed him, feeling the love from him. And showing as much love as she could muster. Serana broke from the kiss and smiled down at him, as he ran his hand through her hair, releasing the buns and letting it fall below her shoulders. Arthius sat up and kissed her hair, nuzzling it. Serana smiled as she held him there, feeling the bruises and feeling the blood at the back of his head.

"You know that we're psychopaths, correct?" Serana asked plainly as she kissed his forehead. Arthius chuckled.

"Oh of course" Arthius said. He then flipped Serana onto her back and wrapped her legs around him.

"But if we weren't, what if things really were simpler. What are we?" Arthius asked.

"Dull" Serana smiled before pulling him into her again.

They soon broke the kiss as Serana grabbed Arthius' pouch and took out the few potions that her mother had given them. She forced Arthius to drink the blood potions, even though he refused at first. She had to pin him down and pour the bottle down his throat like a child. Arthius almost vomited as a result, but was able to keep it down. After finishing the blood potions and all of the healing potions, they laid together in the tent as they awaited Agmaer's return.

"Oh, by the way" Serana spoke up. Arthius looked down at her with a questioning glance.

"I love you too" she said plainly. Arthius re adjusted himself as Serana rested her head on his shoulder.

"I know" Arthius replied, rolling his eyes. Serana looked at him before playfully slapping his face. Arthius laughed as he kissed the side of her head. Arthius thought for a moment before speaking.

"Serana, have you noticed that whenever we fight…we become closer?"

"Psychopaths" Serana said plainly, making Arthius laugh.

"You bit me" Serana said. Arthius looked down at her hand, seeing the puncture marks.

"Then we're even" Arthius replied. Serana smiled up at him as she spoke.

"You enjoyed it"

"You seemed to enjoy it more" Arthius replied, making Serana laugh.

After another hour or so, Agmaer returned, carrying two dead rabbits. Arthius and Serana were huddled by the fire, Serana choosing to drop her previous request. They sat in silence as Agmaer began to skin them and begin to roast them over the fire. After he finished cooking them, Agmaer took his meal and sat beside the two. Arthius looked over to him for a moment before speaking up.

"Agmaer, Serana told me that you had something to talk to me about" Agmaer looked at Arthius before clearing his throat. Trying to find the right words to say. Agmaer shifted uncomfortably in his seat before speaking.

"When you never returned to fort Dawnguard, Isran assumed the worst and sent out a small group to investigate. We searched Dimhollow only to find it empty of life, but we returned to find that fort Dawnguard had been attacked in our absence. Isran managed to stay alive along with a few others, but the fort was now more wreckage than ever. The few of us remaining either dropped their flags and surrendered home, or were killed by vampires" Arthius and Serana froze at what they had heard. Agmaer waited a few moments before continuing.

"That leaves about four of us left. Isran refuses to give up fort Dawnguard even though it holds little to no protection whatsoever. We received tips that vampires were spotted along the coast of solitude so we decided to investigate. On our way, we spotted you two in the water rowing towards the castle. We've been waiting ever since, apparently with different intentions" Arthius and Serana stared at Agmaer for a short time. Arthius stood up, and walked over to a tree to think it over. Serana pondered their options before realizing what she should do.

"Come with us" Serana said boldly. Arthius and Agmaer shot up and looked at her.

"Serana-"Arthius began.

"We need help. We obviously can't do this with just us and the companions. So I figure…who better to hunt vampires then…well you know" she spoke. Arthius was dumbfounded at Serana's suggestion considering their previous argument. Agmaer searched her face to see if she was serious, before nodding.

"I cannot travel with you now, I must report back to Isran. But tell me where you'd like us all to meet and I'll do my best" Agmaer said.

"Whiterun" Arthius replied, crossing his arms. Agmaer nodded before beginning to pack for the journey back to Riften. As Arthius and Serana began preparing for their trip back to Whiterun.

Their journey was blissful to say the least, as Arthius and Serana stayed with each other. No fighting, no arguments, nothing except a dragon who Arthius disposed of rather quickly. As they arrived in the Whiterun stables, Arthius paid the carriage driver and they proceeded towards the gate. Arthius tugged on Serana's shoulder, making her turn to him.

"What is it?" she asked.

"As soon as we enter the city, walk straight to my house. Don't rush, don't look at anyone, and don't say anything. Just walk to the door and enter" Arthius said with a serious tone. Serana made a concerned expression but nodded.

As soon as they entered, Serana did precisely what Arthius had asked of her. He closed the doors behind them as they entered the house. Serana turned to Arthius with a questioning glance.

"Why did we just do that?" she asked.

"I'd like to wait until nightfall to meet with the companions. And I didn't want anyone telling them I was here"

"Why nightfall?" Serana asked. Arthius paused slightly before replying.

"Just a feeling" he replied. Serana thought it over before simply shrugging. She didn't know of his meanings but she didn't care enough to argue. After all, they don't need to go through that again. Serana sat by the small fire place meant for cooking while Arthius searched through a barrel. He pulled out a few bottles of black briar mead and handed one to Serana and took the seat across from her. She gave him a look to where he just simply replied.

"Something to pass the time" he said as he opened his bottle and took a sip.

"By the way, can vampires get drunk?" he asked. Serana looked at him before inspecting the amount of bottles he had brought.

"Not easily" she replied. Arthius raised an eyebrow before putting down his bottle.

"What about skooma?" Arthius asked.

"Have fun with that" Serana smirked.

"So…what would you do to pass the time?" Arthius asked. _"I've got a few ideas"_ he thought to himself. He smiled slightly at the thought and Serana noticed this.

"Well…I enjoy reading, or practicing my alchemy. But…" she spoke as she rose from her chair. She slowly made her way to Arthius, never breaking eye contact. She smiled as she sat on his lap and put her hands around his head.

"I'm sure we can find other ways of entertainment."

"Well, I have been wanting to learn a bit more about alchemy. And I haven't gotten around to reading The Real-"Arthius was cut off as Serana pressed her lips to his. Arthius rested his head back as Serana leaned in closer. She re-adjusted herself so she was kneeling on the chair, moving closer to him as he leaned back. The kiss broke as they realized the chair was toppling over, sending Serana over Arthius as he landed on his back. They laid there in silence until Serana broke out into a fit of laughter.

Night soon fell upon Whiterun, meaning that it was time to meet with the companions. As Serana prepared to leave, Arthius prepared for bed.

"Arthius, what are you doing?" she asked. Arthius hesitated before replying.

"Just…readying myself for the night" he said. Serana raised an eyebrow at him before continuing.

"Don't we have to meet with the companions?" she asked. Arthius winced as she mentioned this, and Serana noticed it.

"Oh, of course. We should go then" Arthius said as he began to equip his armor. Serana was a bit puzzled at this. "_What is he not telling me?_" she thought. Once Arthius finished equipping himself, he opened the door for Serana before exiting the house.

As they slowly walked to jorrvaskr, Arthius wrapped his arm around Serana's midsection, pulling her closer to him. Serana smiled at this, but she knew he was concerned about something. As they climbed the steps, she began to put it together. Arthius walked around jorrvaskr to the underforge, where the circle would usually be before retreating for the evening.

As Arthius opened the passage way, Serana saw the brothers inside. Farkas looked up, smiling as he saw who approached them. Vilkas smiled as well, but his smile faded as soon as it came. Farkas took a few steps forward before he slowed and came to a complete stop. Vilkas' expression turned to a disappointed one as Farkas' turned to one of utter shock. Arthius slowly approached them, hands up as if to say "calm down". Farkas turned towards Serana and instantly became furious. Farkas began to pace towards her until Arthius blocked his path.

"Farkas-"Arthius started.

"You bitch! I told you what would happen!" Farkas said as he began to reach for his great sword.

"Farkas, please. Listen to me brother-"

"Unhand me vampire!" Farkas yelled at Arthius. Serana saw the pain in Arthius' eyes, making her drop her head in shame. She knew that it was Arthius' choice, but she was still the cause of it.

"Brother, stop this" Vilkas said. Arthius looked towards Vilkas a moment and Farkas broke from him as he did. Arthius reached for Farkas but he was out of reach.

"Farkas!" Arthius shouted.

Serana quickly looked up to be punched hard in the face by an enraged Farkas, knocking her to the ground. Arthius immediately grew livid as he charged towards him. Farkas turned to be tackled to the ground by Arthius. Farkas struggled but Arthius held him down as he began to punch Farkas' face as hard as his vampiric strength would allow him. The companions had always known of Arthius' dangerous rage, but now his best friend, the man he calls brother, was about to feel the blunt of it.

**And that's the end of chapter eleven. Hurray for more romance...and brutal fights. Anyways, hope you guys enjoyed it and PLEASE leave a review or question for me. I love speaking with my readers and it's really what encourages me to continue these. Still on the hunt for a good pic for my story if you're interested.**

**Thanks for reading.**


	12. Temptations

**Quick note: I'd like to immensely thank everyone for the amount of love for the last chapter. I actually uploaded it on my b-day (April 16****th****) so it was awesome for me to see the spike in views and reviews that it got. I also just got 1k views in the states and 2k views worldwide so it was a pretty great b-day present. Read on**

Arthius continued to bash Farkas in the face, blinded by rage. He was then tackled by Vilkas and pinned to the ground, face down as his arms were held behind him. Farkas immediately got up and pushed Vilkas off of Arthius and then began kicking Arthius in the side. Arthius pushed himself at Farkas and grabbed his legs, pushing him on his back. Serana grabbed Arthius by the arms and pulled him away as Vilkas restrained his brother.

"TOUCH HER AGAIN AND I'M TAKING YOUR HAND!" Arthius shouted at Farkas. Farkas struggled to free himself from his brother, but Vilkas was holding him back. The underforge opened as Aela stepped through the entrance, investigating the noise.

"What is going on?!" she demanded before seeing Arthius. She looked between Farkas and Arthius before discovering the issue.

"Farkas, calm yourself "Aela said. Farkas scowled at Aela before shouting back.

"She turned him into one of them!" Farkas shouted.

"And I'm sure our harbinger has a good reason for it, now calm down and let him explain" Aela demanded.

"You're just going to accept this?! I warned her, and the whore still did it!" Farkas shouted. Arthius became furious at this and struggled against Serana. She had to use all her strength to hold him back.

"Shut you damn mouth!" Arthius yelled.

"She made him her damn slave! I'm going to skin her!" Farkas shouted as his features began to shift.

"Farkas!" Aela and Vilkas both shouted. Vilkas felt as Farkas' arms grew thicker as he transformed. Vilkas was cured of the beast long ago, so there wasn't anything he could do. Farkas then broke free, now as a werewolf and began to charge towards Arthius. Before he could take two steps, Farkas was shot in the leg with an arrow. Everyone turned to see Aela holding her bow with a few arrows in hand. Farkas began to scream as his flesh sizzled around the arrow.

"I keep a few silver arrows just in case" Aela explained as she walked over to Farkas' side. Serana released Arthius then, knowing he had no reason to attack now. Farkas began to change back to his normal self, as Aela grabbed him by his arm and looked towards Vilkas. Vilkas rushed over and took his brother from Aela. He then began to drag Farkas towards the exit. As they were passing by, Arthius kicked Farkas in the side. Vilkas gave Arthius an eye before continuing out the underforge. Aela stayed with her arms crossed eyeing Arthius. Once Vilkas was gone, he turned to Serana who now had a bleeding nose. Serana turned away as Arthius put his hands on her face to inspect her injuries.

"Arthius-"Serana started.

"We shouldn't have come, you shouldn't have" Arthius said.

"If you were going than I was too" she said as Arthius turned her head to inspect her nose.

"Then I should have just snuck out"

"Going behind my back is wishing for death itself" Serana said with a serious tone. Arthius chuckled at this before releasing her. Serana gave him a small smile before glancing at aela. Arthius sighed before turning to face Aela who now had her hand to her forehead. They stood there in silence as Aela contemplated to herself. She looked up before looking between Arthius and Serana before shaking her head and sighing.

"Explain" she stated sternly. Arthius looked at Serana a moment before speaking.

"Well…in order to enter the soul cairn-"Arthius began.

"The what?"

"A plane of oblivion where-"Serana began.

"I wasn't speaking to you vampire!" Aela snapped. Serana scowled at Aela before Arthius intervened.

"It's a plane of oblivion where the souls from soul gems go once they're used" Arthius said, looking towards Serana for confirmation.

"Close enough" Serana said glancing back at Arthius. Aela glared at Serana before Arthius continued.

"The soul cairn would have killed any life that entered. So in order for me to enter, I had to…stop living" Arthius said.

"So why couldn't she enter alone?" Aela said.

"It was dangerous-"

"Why should you care?!"

"She's the entire reason we're doing this!" Arthius shouted.

"She's the entire reason you're doing this Arthius!" Aela shouted back.

"He's just-"Serana broke in.

"I told you not to speak!" Aela shouted at her.

"I will speak if choose to do so" Serana said plainly as she crossed her arms.

"We have the other scroll. That's what's important" Arthius said.

"Watch your tongue girl, or I'll rip it out" Aela yelled at Serana.

"Who are you to demand me to do anything?" Serana questioned.

"I am Aela the huntress of the noble companions" Aela said proudly.

"And you should be-"Aela began.

"Oh, right. You're just the dragonborn's whore" Serana said smirking. Aela grew furious at this, taking a step forward.

"What me and Arthius share has nothing to-"

"Share?!" Serana laughed.

"You believe he has feelings for you? That's adorable" Serana said with a small smile. Aela looked bewildered as she scowled again.

"You know nothing about what goes on between us. You just-"

"Why do you think the only time he spends with you is to bed you, then leaves immediately afterwards?" Serana said with a raised eyebrow and a pout. Aela froze at this, unsure of what to say. Arthius looked at Aela with a concerned look, as Aela stared at him.

"Dexion is in the harbinger's room. Go speak to him "She said with a scowl as she paced out of the underforge.

"Aela!" Arthius shouted as she exited. Arthius put his hand to his forehead before throwing his shield at the wall. Serana sighed heavily before turning to Arthius.

"Arthius, I didn't mean to snap"

"Go back to my house"

"Why?"

"You know why"

"Arthius-"

"GO TO THE DAMN HOUSE" Arthius shouted at her. Serana cowered slightly at this, she then stared at Arthius with a glare.

"Please" Arthius whispered. Serana sighed as she dropped her scroll and walked out of the underforge. Arthius stood there for a few moments in silence, as if waiting for someone. He then flung his scroll at the wall as hard as he could in frustration. He then ran his hand through his hair before shouting loudly. "_What is happening?! By the gods, what in the divines is wrong with everyone?! Even Serana somehow snapped, and Farkas looked as though he was about to chop Serana's head off! What's going on?!"_ Arthius thought to himself as he punched the wall. He then leaned against it and tried to calm himself. He thought he should go speak with Aela and Dexion since that was the reason they came here in the first place. He soon made his way out of the underforge towards jorrvaskr.

He entered the building to see Farkas sitting at the main table with his brother. They looked up at him and Vilkas gave Farkas a serious glance. Arthius approached them slowly before speaking.

"Farkas-"

"I'm fine, go speak with Aela. She looked very…troubled" Farkas waved him off. Arthius nodded before descending to the lower level. He went down the hall before slowly approaching Aela's chambers. He put his ears to the door and heard her…weeping. Arthius was shocked at this, he had never seen any weakness from Aela, and does she really have feelings towards him? _"Of course she does you idiot"_. Arthius knocked on the door, hearing as she suddenly stopped and wiped her face.

"Who is it?" she asked plainly.

"Arthius, may I come in?" he asked.

"Do you have guidance for me harbinger?"

"I'd like to speak with you" Arthius stated. Aela paused at this before speaking.

"You may enter" she said. Arthius walked in the room, noticing Aela's red eyes immediately. He sat beside her on her bed, looking down. Aela looked at him with a plain face, waiting for him to speak

"If I'm speaking to Arthius and not the harbinger, I'm not-"Aela began.

"I'm not speaking of that. We both know what this is about" Arthius said sternly. Aela looked forward before speaking.

"I'm not in love with you if that's what you might be thinking" she said plainly. Arthius nodded, he was unsure but it was definitely good to know.

"I just feel as though it's true, that I'm just a whore"

"Aela-"

"It's true. Kodlak always wanted me to eventually settle down and have a family. Now, three years later, all I'm doing is slaughtering wolves and bedding you" Aela said as she wiped her eye. Arthius knew she was heavily troubled by this, he never thought that this would be what bothered her. He always assumed the only problems with what they were doing would be love or jealousy, though he thanks the gods it's not one of those.

"Aela, Kodlak knew what he was speaking of, but he didn't make it clear" Arthius said, making Aela look up at him.

"He wanted you to do what he thought would make you happy, but that doesn't mean that a husband and children are what he wanted for you" he said. Aela looked questionably at him before speaking.

"He said he wanted me to have a family-"she began.

"And you do, all of us" Arthius said with a large grin. Aela stared at him before breaking out into a fit of laughter. She looked at him smiling, and then she pounced on him. Arthius was surprised as she basically ripped his armor off of him as she pressed her lips to his removing her clothing. Arthius separated himself from her and stood up from the bed, leaving Aela on her back.

"Aela-"

"Oh come Arthius, do you expect me to stay off of you after something like that?" she smiled, raising an eyebrow.

"Aela, I'm in love with Serana" he said plainly. Aela looked at him, no longer smiling. She then covered herself as she sat back up. Arthius looked around awkwardly as Aela dressed herself in silence.

"Well done Arthius. She's quite the…creature" Aela said looking down. Arthius smiled at this as he sat beside her.

"It's not that you're not…" he said as he looked at her "…tempting" Aela looked up at him, before leaning on his shoulder. They stayed there in silence before Aela straightened herself and kissed Arthius on the cheek.

"I think it might be best if you left" she said as she looked him in the eyes.

"Don't make a girl wait too long" she said smiling. Arthius smiled back at her, getting a small gasp from Aela. Arthius then noticed how long his fangs had become. He looked at Aela, now noticing what kind of temptation she had given him. He had wanted to…feed. Arthius covered his mouth as he quickly rose and paced to the door. Aela grabbed him by the arm and pulled him to her. She looked at him with a stern face and looked down before meeting his eyes again.

"Are you…alright?" she asked. Arthius couldn't control himself as he pushed Aela to a wall and pinned her there. She quickly struggled but Arthius held her firmly as he inhaled her scent. Aela jerked an arm free and punched Arthius in the face. Arthius turned back to her and grabbed her throat. She yanked herself free, but Arthius' nails left a cut on the side of her neck. Aela noticed this as Arthius lunged at her, knocking her head to the wall. Aela wavered as her head bounced off the wood and became unconscious in Arthius arms. All he could think was the blood trickling down her neck, the smell, and soon…the taste. Arthius noticed he was now leaning down to her neck, unable to resist. Then suddenly, he thought of the night Serana had tried to feed to him, and the regret she felt afterwards. Arthius' eyes shot opened as he pushed Aela back roughly, knocking her to the floor. Arthius stared at her before turning and rushing out the door, down the hall, up the stairs, past a questioning Vilkas, and out of jorrvaskr. Arthius crashed through the doors of his home to a startled Serana. He was sweating and panting heavily, as he stared at his shaking hands.

"Arthius? Are you-"she was cut off as Arthius wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly. Serana stood there as he put his head down on her shoulder, she felt as he shook violently. Serana wrapped her arms around his waist and held him as she rested her chin on his shoulder.

"I almost- I almost fed from-"Arthius spoke shakily as he tightened his grip. Serana's eyes watered at what she heard. She knew what it was like to almost succumb to feeding from another person, but for it to be someone so close to you…Serana rubbed the back of Arthius' head as she nuzzled him. They were soon sitting against the wall side by side as Arthius leaned on Serana's shoulder. Serana held him there through the night until he finally spoke.

"I'm a damn monster" he said. Arthius didn't think about what he had said until he felt Serana wince slightly at his comment. He looked up at her but she simply nodded, shrugging it off. Arthius lay his head back on Serana's shoulder before continuing.

"We can leave today" Arthius said. Serana looked down at him questionably.

"We can just run away, pack all of our belongings and just…go away. Together" Arthius said. Serana chuckled at this.

"Don't you have a country to protect?" she asked raising an eyebrow.

"I could give a damn about skyrim and her people, that's as much as they've cared about me" Arthius said boldly.

"You don't mean that" Serana scoffed.

"You don't know Serana. People tend to forget what they owe you when they feel as though you owe something to them" Arthius said. Serana turned to him, placing a kiss on his head.

"So what's the plan?" she asked playfully.

"Well, I could sell all of my homes. I figure my housecarls can come with us. Not "with" us, but eventually travel to the city we choose"

"Alright so cyrodiil?"

"Yes, they would love to have the dragonborn as a citizen" he said. Serana laughed at this rolling her eyes.

"Yes, and his beautiful "wife" who just happens to eat the servants and avoids the sun" she said chuckling. Arthius smiled up at her before speaking.

"I think you might be giving yourself a bit too much credit" Arthius smiled.

"Oh? Am I not good enough to be the dragonborn's wife?" she asked as she playfully rose an eyebrow.

"No, I meant you calling yourself beauti-"he was cut off as Serana shoved him away. Arthius laughed as he fell onto his back and was pinned by Serana. They laughed like idiots as Arthius looked up at her. She smiled down at him as Arthius just stared with a saddened smile.

"Gods, you are beautiful" he said as he put his hand to her cheek. She held it there a few moments before replying.

"It's a shame that you look like the backside of-"she was cut off as Arthius flipped her over to her back. She laid there and wrapped her hands around his head as she pulled him into a passionate kiss. Arthius smiled as he spoke.

"You have no idea what life was like for me before I met you Serana" he said. Serana looked up at him with a small smile.

"Well, I was in a hole so you know how it was for me" she said. Arthius laughed as he leaned in to kiss her again.

"I love you" he said.

"I love you too" Arthius lied next to her as Serana put her head on his shoulder. After a few moments, Arthius spoke.

"You know, there's a bed upstairs" he said smiling. Serana stiffened at this and Arthius noticed this, silently cursing at himself for what he had said.

"I didn't mean-"

"I know" Serana said. Arthius laid in silence, until Serana wrapped her arm around him placing a kiss on his cheek.

"Not yet anyways" she said with a serious expression before resting her head on his shoulder again. _"The dragonborn's wife…"_ she thought to herself.

Arthius awoke a few hours later, Serana still holding to him. He looked down at her, kissing her forehead. Serana whimpered slightly as she tightened her hold on Arthius. He chuckled as he played with her hair, she slowly awoke and looked up at Arthius smiling.

"Good sleep?" Arthius asked raising an eyebrow. Serana kissed his cheek before answering.

"The best"

They soon arrived in jorrvaskr, after Arthius was sure to give Serana her first sweet roll. Once they entered, Arthius was grateful to see the main hall empty. They descended the stairs and quickly made their way to the harbinger's room as Serana quickly scarfed down her sweet roll, getting a laugh from Arthius. As they entered the room Arthius noticed the bandages around Dexion's eyes. "_Curse the gods, curse every single god and divine there could possibly be and send them to burn in the fieriest spots in oblivion!" _Arthius thought to himself.

"You're blind?!" Serana shouted. Arthius jumped slightly at this and so did Dexion.

"How did this happen?" Serana asked. Arthius sat down in the corner and tried as best as he could to calm himself, even though he felt like he could destroy half of Whiterun at the moment.

"It's my fault. In my haste to read the first scroll, I neglected the careful preparation required" Dexion said.

"I thought I'd be able to allay the after effects, but I was wrong. Now I'm paying for it" Dexion explained. Serana pondered this for a few moments before speaking.

"Can anything be done to help you?" she asked.

"No. It'll have to run its course, and there's always the chance I may never recover" Dexion spoke. Arthius rested his head back as Serana dropped her head. She slowly walked to Arthius and basically fell on top of him. She put her head on his shoulder as she went limp.

"We're finished then" Serana spoke.

"No, there's another way" Dexion said. Arthius bolted upwards, sending Serana falling to the floor.

"How?!" Arthius shouted. Dexion turned to him before replying.

"The question is, how much are you willing to risk to find Auriel's Bow?" Dexion asked. Arthius was annoyed at this.

"In the past three years, I've ventured through various ancient crypts, travelled through a plane of oblivion, went to Sovangarde and back, became both a werewolf and a vampire, defied the gods themselves, and bested the world eater Alduin in combat! So please, tell me what I'm willing to risk!" Arthius shouted. Dexion flinched aggressively and Arthius saw as Serana stared at him with wide eyes as she sat on the floor. Arthius ignored this as he turned back to Dexion.

"Just tell me what to do" Arthius said with an aggressive tone.

"Scattered across Tamriel are secluded locations known only as Ancestor Glades. There's one in Skyrim, in the Pine Forest. Performing the ritual of the ancestor moth within the glade should provide the answers you seek" Dexion explained.

"Explain the ritual" Serana spoke from behind Arthius. Dexion turned towards her before speaking.

"It involves carefully removing the bark from a canticle tree which will in turn attract ancestor moths to you. Once enough of the moths are following, they'll provide you with the second sight needed to decipher the scrolls" Dexion said.

"How would we accomplish gathering the bark?" Serana asked.

"In keeping with tradition, you must use a specific tool in the Ancestor Glade, an implement know as a Draw knife. Every Moth Priest is taught this ritual, but few ever get the chance to perform it…you should consider yourself fortunate if it works for you" Dexion finished. Arthius pondered this for a few moments until Serana spoke up.

"Which scroll should we read first?"

"I believe the scroll that foretells the defiance of the gods, good luck" Dexion said as he rested his head back. Arthius turned to Serana before nodding towards the exit. As they walked Serana spoke up.

"Oh, by the way…" she then punched Arthius in the jaw. Arthius winced in pain as he turned to face her.

"That's for knocking me down" she said looking forward. Arthius watched her walk ahead of him, enjoying the view. Serana turned to face him and blushed slightly once she realized what he was doing. She quickly went up the stairs and Arthius followed. Once they reached the top, they saw the circle standing around the stairway, blocking their path. Serana eyed all of them as Arthius stepped in front of her defensively. Vilkas stepped forward, making Arthius ready himself for what might happen.

"Forgive me harbinger, but this is for your own safety" Vilkas said as the three companions unsheathed their weapons. Arthius pulled out his sword and shield and put his arm in front of Serana. "_Alright, bring it you bunch of mutts"_

**And that's the end of chapter 12. I apologize for the lack of action in this chapter but I wanted to go over a fair amount of subjects here. Again, thank you to everyone for the amount of love the last chapter got.**

**Please leave a review or private message me if you have a question. I love speaking with my readers and it's really what encourages me to continue these. Still on the hunt for a good pic for my story if you're interested.**

**Thanks for reading.**


	13. Journey to the Glade

The companions circled around Serana and Arthius, looking between each other for the signal. Arthius glared at the three of them as he held his sword firmly.

"We wish not to fight you harbinger" Vilkas spoke. Arthius scowled at him before speaking.

"Then don't" Arthius growled. Aela gave Vilkas a sorrowful glance, making him turn back to Arthius. She turned to Farkas who also had an uncomfortable look.

"Arthius, please let us take her and-"Farkas began. He was cut off as Arthius bashed his shield into his face, knocking him to the ground. Vilkas charged forward as Arthius lunged at his midsection knocking him to the ground. Arthius pinned him to the floor and began punching him in the face. Farkas rose with a growl as he tackled Arthius off of his brother. They began fighting on the ground until Arthius quickly rose and kicked Farkas in the side of his head. Vilkas swung his greatsword and Arthius barely ducked it before upper cutting Vilkas in the chin, knocking him to the floor. Arthius quickly turned to Aela with a furious expression. Aela stood in place, holding her bow but never reaching for an arrow.

"Arthius, I never meant for-"she stopped as Arthius began pacing towards her. Aela's eyes sprang open as she began walking backwards. Serana watched in shock, she couldn't blame Aela for being frightened by Arthius. There were times that Serana cowered at the thought of being attacked with that much fury from Arthius. She knew that this couldn't end well if she didn't interfere.

"Arthius…" Aela said as she paced backwards. She watched in horror as Arthius' fangs sprang out from his gums. Serana began walking towards Arthius as she knew he wouldn't hear her.

"Arthius…" Aela whimpered as she stumbled slightly as Arthius quickened his pace. She soon was pinned against a wall as she watched Arthius approach. Serana grabbed Arthius by the arm but he simply shook her off. Serana growled slightly as she grabbed him again, Arthius then turned and pushed her roughly to the ground. He turned back to Aela and grabbed her by the throat.

"Arthius-"she cried as he tightened his grip. He then began lifting her and holding her against the wall as her legs kicked. She began coughing violently and Arthius was enjoying every whimper and gag she made. He was then tackled to the ground by Serana, making Aela collapse on the floor. She was on all fours gasping for air as Serana struggled to hold down Arthius.

"Arthius! Look at me! Please, please calm down! You have to calm down" Serana shouted as she pinned him to the floor. Arthius soon ceased his anger as Serana held him there. He looked up at her nodding before she let him go. Arthius sat up, right before he was kicked in the head by Aela. Serana shot Aela a shocked glance as Aela put her hand out to Arthius. He took it as she helped him onto his feet. He gave her a look of shame and apology but she simply nodded. She then turned to the unconscious twins before speaking.

"They found me in my room, I had no marks so I'm assuming you restrained yourself" she said plainly. Arthius looked to the floor in shame for what he had done. He hadn't meant to hurt Aela, but he's not feeling the same since he arrived in Whiterun. Aela looked cautiously at Arthius and Serana, pondering to herself.

"He hasn't fed yet, has he?" Aela spoke up. Arthius' head bolted upwards as he turned to face Aela. She had a plain expression, as did Serana.

"I've been trying to delay that" Serana said crossing her arms.

"And what happens if you delay it for too long?" Aela raised an eyebrow.

"You become…feral" Serana said. Aela nodded before looking back at Arthius.

"You have to feed Arthius. There's no delaying it at this point" she spoke. Arthius was shocked at this.

"Before we continue, what about them?" Arthius asked as he turned to the brothers on the floor. Aela's eyes sprang open and quickly turned back to Arthius.

"By the way, how in the divines did you do that? You probably could have defeated them in swordsmanship, but never in hand to hand combat. Especially both of them at once" Aela said with a raised eyebrow. Arthius thought about this but had no clue whatsoever how he defeated them until Serana spoke up.

"When a vampire withholds from feeding, they become stronger the more they delay it. That, plus his vampiric strength" Serana said plainly, as if bored of the topic. Aela nodded slowly before answering Arthius.

"I'm sure they'll be fine. They will go after you, and there's not much I can do when Vilkas is the one who's chasing you" Aela spoke. Arthius and Serana looked back at each other. Arthius quickly rose and gathered his sword and shield as Serana grabbed their satchels and quickly began filling them with potions. Aela watched them move quickly through the hall gathering what they could. As they were about to leave, Aela called to them once more.

"Arthius" she said. Arthius looked at her as Serana continued through the doors. Aela and Arthius stared at each other before Aela raised her hand and put it across her chest.

"Fight well" she said. Arthius smirked slightly before rushing out the doors after Serana. Aela turned back to the brothers before walking past them to the lower quarters, where she would hope to find comfort in these times.

Arthius and Serana quickly stopped at his home, gathering what they might need for the road. As Serana made potions, Arthius went to the blacksmith's and purchased more bolts for his crossbow and something else. Serana met him there as he finished sharpening an ebony dagger for her. He held it out, getting a smile from Serana.

"Instead of that pathetic elven dagger" Arthius smiled. Serana took it and placed a small kiss on Arthius' lips. They then left the city and rushed to the carriage drivers.

"Where you going?" the driver asked. Arthius nodded at Serana to look which hold was closest to their location.

"Falkreath" Serana spoke. The driver nodded before whipping the reins. Arthius leaned back, knowing that they would run into Lydia. Serana eyed him before questioning him.

"What's the problem Arthius?" she asked.

"It's just… my actual home is next to Falkreath" he said. She eyed him until he continued.

"I'm not upset about it, I'm just a little concerned about my housecarl"

"What's the problem with your housecarl?"

"It's just- I'm a little unsure how she might react to this"

"To what?" she asked raising eyebrow.

"Well…I told her that the vampires were a small threat, and not a cult trying to fulfill and ancient prophecy that could end all life as we know it" Arthius said with a small chuckle.

"Well… maybe we should just avoid her" she said. Arthius turned to her and nodded slightly.

"Given my luck, we'll run into her. Plus we could use the extra potions in the house" he said. Serana nodded and then leaned against Arthius and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Well, we'll figure it out once we get there" she said lazily. Arthius smiled as he kissed her head and rested back. They stayed silent for a few hours before Serana spoke up.

"Arthius, what happened in cyrodiil?" she asked. She felt as Arthius stiffened at her question, feeling uncomfortable. Arthius stayed silent for a few minutes.

"That's something I'd like to forget" he said. Serana rose quickly and looked him in the eyes, as Arthius looked down.

"Arthius-"she began in a calm tone

"Serana, we both know that if you push me enough I will tell you. But I'd like to ask you no to do that. Pease don't push it" he said plainly.

"Arthius, you know that I'm here if you need to speak. And yes, I push it when I feel that it would be best for you to let out. But if it's so personal that even you wish you didn't know about it…" she said as she held his head.

"I won't bother you about it" she said with a small smile. Arthius nodded before pulling her in to kiss him. She then rested her head against his shoulder and they stayed like this until the end of the ride.

They arrived in Falkreath a day later in the morning. The sky was a dark purple still. Arthius and Serana began their walk up the path towards Ancestor Glade, but they would have to pass Arthius' house on the way there. Arthius wasn't really bothered by the fact that they might run into Lydia, he just didn't know how she would react. Sort of like the companions, except he had more of a dealing that they would react negatively. That and he was hoping that Lydia wouldn't try and join them. As they soon found saw the house, Arthius quickened his pace. As they were passing it, Arthius suddenly stopped. Serana turned to him, looking around in case he saw something. But Arthius was just staring at the ground, getting a questionable glance from Serana.

"I should at least greet her" Arthius said. Serana rolled her eyes before grabbing his arm.

"Arthius, even if you feel bad we don't have time to-"Serana was cut off as a woman spoke in the distance.

"Is that you my thane?" Lydia asked. Arthius looked up at her and began walking towards the house. Lydia was standing in the doorway of the home. She smiled as she held the door open for her thane.

"It's good to see you again Lydia" Arthius smiled.

"As is you my thane. Are you and your friend staying or just passing by?" she asked giving a polite smile to Serana. Serana nodded back awkwardly before Arthius spoke.

"We were just passing by but I just wanted to greet my housecarl and get a few potions" Arthius nodded before retreating into the house. She returned a few moments later with a small pouch filled with potions and handed it to Arthius with a nod. Lydia's smile faded as she stared into Arthius' eyes. "_Oh no"_ Arthius thought to himself. Lydia looked back at Serana and then back at Arthius. She then reached for her bow which was behind the front door but Arthius stopped her.

"Lydia, it was my own choice" Arthius said seriously. Lydia looked up shocked at him but slowly nodded as Arthius released her arm.

"Would you mind explaining to me why you're traveling with a vampire? And why you're a vampire yourself?" Lydia questioned. Arthius sighed before putting his hand to his forehead.

"We don't have the time for that now, but I can assure you that everything is fine" Arthius said.

"You always say that my thane. Just remember, my blade is always at your disposal if you need it" Lydia said. Arthius nodded before walking back to Serana, avoiding eye contact with Lydia as long as he could. As they continued up the path, Arthius sat down on a rock before running his hand through his hair. Serana stood there for a brief moment before settling down on a rock not too far from Arthius. They stayed there in silence for a few minutes before Arthius looked up at the sound of chewing. He turned towards Serana to see her eating a sweet roll. Arthius raised an eyebrow before speaking.

"Where did you get that?" Arthius asked. Serana jumped slightly as he spoke and turned to him.

"I just…brought it in case I felt like having one" Serana shrugged. Arthius stood up before walking over to Serana as she finished her sweet roll.

"Can I see the pouches?" Arthius asked. Serana's eyes sprang open for a brief moment before she settled down again.

"Why?"

"I just want to check our supplies" Arthius said crossing his arms.

"Our supply is fine" Serana replied.

"Give me the bag Serana" Arthius said with an annoyed tone.

"Arthius-"Serana began. Arthius quickly snatched the pouch closest to Serana. As Serana tried to grab it from him, Arthius ducked and quickly moved away from her. He then opened the pouch to find dozens of carefully packed sweet rolls inside. Arthius looked up to Serana who now had the look of a child caught in the act. Arthius dropped the pouch before walking over to Serana and sitting next to her. Serana had her hands clasped as she looked down as Arthius pondered what he should say.

"Serana" Arthius called her attention. Serana looked up at him, waiting for what would come next. As Arthius opened his mouth to speak, he couldn't hold himself together as he burst out laughing. He doubled over as he collapsed to the ground as Serana blushed heavily.

"I'm not- I was locked away for a long time and I- I didn't exactly-"Serana stumbled over herself getting even more laughs from Arthius. He rolled onto his back, holding his ribs as he couldn't control himself. Serana watched as he laughed like an idiot on the floor. She grew annoyed at this and walked over to the pouch and retrieved a sweet roll. As Arthius continued to laugh, Serana stuffed the sweet roll inside of his mouth muffling him. Arthius grinned as much as he could as he coughed slightly. He plucked the sweet roll from his mouth but before he could throw it away, Serana grabbed chunk of it and ate it. Arthius watched with a smirk as he then squashed the rest of the pastry on her face. Serana looked at him with a plain face before looking over to the pouch, as did Arthius. They then dashed for it, but before Arthius could reach it, Serana tripped him so she could get to it first. Arthius looked up as he was pelted with sweet rolls as Serana laughed. He then got up and ran to Serana, getting a small squeal as he held her as he squashed a sweet roll into her face again. She did the same to him, making him fall on his back bringing her down with him. They laughed heartedly as Serana rolled off of him onto her back. They lied there giggling as they looked up at the sky. Arthius then looked over to Serana as she looked at him. He pulled her into a deep and passionate kiss, pulling her on top of him. He began to unravel her hair again but his hand was smacked away by hers.

"Unless you'd like to help fix it, don't touch my hair" Serana said as she playfully slapped him. Arthius smirked as he quickly undid her hair and let it fall down to him. She sighed as Arthius kissed it, nuzzling it across his face. Serana smiled down at him before bending down and kissing him once more. She then stood up and helped him to his feet. Once he was standing, they looked around at the mess of sweet rolls on the ground and laughed a bit more before continuing on the path.

As they walked, Arthius laced his fingers around Serana's, making her look up at him. He smiled at her as she put her head on his shoulder.

"This is a tad too romantic for my taste" she said dully. Arthius chuckled as he released her hand and wrapped his arm around her waist.

"Better I suppose" she said. As they approached the cave, Arthius thought he heard a movement in the brush. He paused, making Serana stop too. He looked around the area as Serana just stared at him.

"Arthius-"Serana was cut off as Arthius pulled her into him and raised his shield, blocking an ice spike that was sent at her back. They looked up to see that they were surrounded by vampires and their thralls. There were roughly five vampires and three thralls, not to mention the giant frostbite spider. Arthius and Serana quickly went back to back as they readied themselves.

"You know Serana" one of the vampires spoke up. He was a dark elf dressed in royal vampire armor, but it wasn't as formal as the ones in castle Volkihar. Arthius assumed that he was from a different branch of the clan.

"Your father has been worried sick. We've been searching the major holds, expecting to find an army of some sort. And yet here you are, having relations with this lesser vampire. You truly are a disgrace to your clan" the vampire sneered. Serana smirked before replying.

"It's a shame that the ones who I'm trying to destroy aren't exactly fond of me" she hissed. Arthius chuckled at this, getting a few curses from the vampires.

"It's a shame really, to spend all that time searching for the lord's daughter, only to find her dead outside of a cave" the vampire smirked. Arthius turned to him quickly and yelled.

"WULD NAH" Arthius appeared in front of the vampire in a flash.

"Wha-"the vampire said before he was stabbed through the bottom of his jaw to the top of his skull. The other vampires jumped back in shock as Arthius turned towards them.

"Anyone else?" Arthius growled. They stood frozen in place, until a vampire unsheathed his sword but was instantly shot through the chest with an ice spike. Serana smirked at Arthius as the rest of the vampires grew furious. They all charged at once, as did Arthius. Serana shot a thrall through the side of his head before she was engaged in battle with a vampire herself. Arthius ducked a swing and cut the vampire from the midsection. He then parried a strike from above with his sword and kicked the vampire in the chest. Serana blocked an axe with her dagger, holding it in place as she and the vampire struggled for power of their weapons. She then placed her left hand on the side of its head and shot and ice spike through it. A thrall charged her but she shot an ice spike through its knee, sending it tumbling to the blocked the talons of the spider before quickly stabbing it through the skull. He then bashed his shield into the face of a thrall, knocking it unconscious as he grabbed the arm of the final vampire. Arthius smirked as he bashed it in the head repeatedly. He was savoring his brutality until he noticed Serana watching him. Arthius sighed as he dropped the vampire, making it barely catch itself. It looked up at him as he sheathed his weapons.

"You are free to go, tell Harkon what happened" Arthius nodded. The vampire, a high elf as it would appear, mirrored his nod before it began dashing off down the path. Serana watched it go as she approached Arthius.

"You're sparing him?" she questioned. Arthius chuckled as he loaded a bolt in his crossbow and taking aim.

"No" he said as he pulled the trigger, sending the bolt through the chest of the vampire killing it. Arthius smiled at Serana who raised an eyebrow at him. She then turned to the two thralls that were still alive. She looked back at Arthius before speaking calmly.

"Arthius, we have to-"

"Feed. I know. I get the female though" he said as he approached the unconscious Breton woman. Serana watched in disbelief as he propped her against him and sunk his fangs into her neck. Serana slowly walked over to the injured Nord and knocked him unconscious in a single blow to the head. She watched Arthius as she fed.

They finished feeding a few moments later. Arthius stabbed both of the thralls through their chests just in case they stayed alive. Serana continued to eye Arthius, he continued to glance back at the bodies as they entered the cave.

"Arthius, I thought you didn't want to feed" Serana spoke up. Arthius nodded slowly as he sighed.

"I didn't and I didn't enjoy it. I had to overcome this as a werewolf, drinking the blood from someone is a lot easier than consuming flesh. Plus, they were bastards" Arthius said as he glanced at Serana. She slowly nodded before she looked around the cave. The walls were wet and there was nothing but moss and rocks. Serana pondered the thought of coming all this way just to be incorrect.

"I swear, if this place turns out to be a bust, I'm going to speak with Dexion myself" Serana spoke in an annoyed tone. Arthius chuckled at this before speaking.

"And what are you going to- actually, I'd rather not know" he said. Serana grinned at him, revealing her fangs. Arthius chuckled as he mirrored her actions with his own fangs. Serana laughed as they approached an opening in the cave. They both suddenly stopped, looking over the land. Everything looked…golden. The stream was crystal and the colors splashed around the area like a true work of art. Arthius and Serana stared at the scene before them before Serana spoke.

"Gods…look at this place. No one's been here in centuries. It's beautiful" she said. Arthius smiled at her, her skin now appeared to be sparkling in the light and beauty of it all.

"I can relate" Arthius said. Serana turned to him, staring into his eyes. He pulled her into him slowly, tilting his head as she did. Serana ran her hand across his face as he stroked her hair down to the back of her neck. She closed her eyes as she leaned into him. Their lips met as they held each other close in the entrance of the beautiful room. But Arthius cared nothing for the scenery at the moment, all he cared about was the beauty in his arms. They slowly broke the kiss as Serana looked at Arthius with tears in her eyes.

"Isn't this a tad too romantic?" Arthius whispered. Serana silently laughed as the tears fell from her eyes. She then clung to Arthius. Holding him tightly.

"I love you" she whimpered.

"I love you too Serana. And I always will" Arthius said as he tightened his hold around her waist. They stayed there holding each other as Arthius looked up between the cave and the land.

"_The light, and the dark. And as always, I'm in-between"_ he thought to himself. Serana nuzzled his shoulder, getting his attention.

"_And there's nowhere else I'd rather be"_

**That would be the end of chapter 13. You guys begged for more romance so I tossed you a bone in this one. I know this one came out sooner than usual but I had a bit more time so I worked on it a bit. I have more time to work on these for a while. I'm not saying that I'll be able to get a chapter out a day like when I started this. But hopefully every three or four, for a little while.**

**Please leave a review or private message me if you have a question. I love speaking with my readers and it's really what encourages me to continue these. Still on the hunt for a good pic for my story if you're interested.**

**Thanks for reading.**


	14. Better Judgement

After a few more moments, Serana slowly detached from Arthius but did not release her grip on him. As Arthius smiled down at her, she looked up at him. She then buried herself in him again, getting a chuckle from Arthius.

"Serana…" Arthius slowly said. Serana replied by nuzzling him. Arthius sighed as he put his hands on her shoulders and slowly began to push Serana off of him. She grunted playfully as she tightened her grip. After a few more minutes of struggle, Arthius was able to get out of Serana's grip. She sighed as she overlooked the scenery once more.

"I guess I got a bit carried away didn't I?" she asked as she wiped her eye.

"Yes" Arthius said boldly as he crossed his arms. Serana glanced at him, then slapped him hard across the face. Arthius stumbled, almost falling to one knee as he held the spot where he was slapped. He looked up at Serana who once again had her usual blank expression, showing no signs of her previous emotions.

"That…really hurt" Arthius said as he rubbed the side of his face.

"I'm aware, now come on" she said as she turned and began walking down the path. Arthius watched her go as he ran his hand across his face before rushing to catch up to her.

"You know, other than the spring there, this place isn't that amazing" Serana said as she crossed her arms. Arthius glanced at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Are you joking? Look at this place, it is beautiful" Arthius said as they continued down the path.

"The waterfall, the stream, the trees-"Arthius began.

"The rocks, the dirt, and- oh, the rocks again" Serana said unimpressed. Arthius rolled his eyes as he slightly shoved her into a tree. Serana gave him a warning glance as she walked beside him. Arthius smirked as he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her into him again. Serana huffed as she leaned on his shoulder once more.

"You know, you should be the one leaning on my shoulder since I'm taller than you are" Serana said plainly. Arthius halted as he turned to Serana.

"You're not taller than I am" Arthius said raising an eyebrow. Serana chuckled as she looked at him with a small smile.

"Arthius, yes I am. I remember having to look down at you a lot"

"Maybe when I'm sitting down" Arthius spoke up.

"It's not important Arthius, do you think that I care?"

"Alright, let's see then" Arthius said as he dropped his shield and turned towards Serana. She smiled at him as they stood in front of each other. Arthius put his hand to the top of her forehead and brought it slightly below the top of his. Arthius smirked as he began to turn from her.

"That doesn't count. You have to measure from the top of our heads" Serana said as she crossed her arms.

"I can't, your hair is in the way"

"Hair counts"

"How does your hair count when it's based on height?"

"It just does"

"Just face it, I'm half an inch taller than you" Arthius said smiling. Serana rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms.

"Alright, I feel as though we've wasted enough time doing…that" Serana said smirking. Arthius was about to say something, but then caught her smile.

"Are you…stalling on purpose?" Arthius asked. Serana smiled at him.

"I just wanted to see how easy it was to manipulate you" she said with a smile. Arthius pinched the bridge of his nose before walking over to her and placing his foot behind hers as he pushed. Serana landed on her backside, laughing slightly as she stared up at Arthius.

"I'm not very fond of you right now" Arthius said, getting more laughter from Serana. He helped her up as they walked to the tree in the center. They found a stone structure with a draw knife placed inside. Arthius took it and approached the tree as Serana watched curiously. Arthius scraped a bit of bark off from the tree and held it in his hands.

"Alright, so now what?" he asked, turning to Serana. She sighed before looking around the area.

"I'm not sure. Maybe it has something to do with all these moths flying around. You know, moths, moth priests, maybe they have some sort of…" she trailed off as she saw the look Arthius was giving her.

"I have no idea, just- try something" Serana said growing annoyed. Arthius chuckled as he approached a swarm of moths. As soon as he got near it, the moths began swarming around him, surprising him and Serana at once. Arthius began to swat at the moths but couldn't get a single one as Serana chuckled at the scene before her.

"Damnit! What are they doing?!" Arthius shouted. Serana's laughter died down slightly.

"Oh, don't be so rude. They seem to like you" she said giggling. Arthius shot her a look that made her huff as she stopped giggling.

"Fine, just try and gather a few more" she said with a smirk. Arthius returned shortly after with a large swarm of moths flying around him. Serana watched him approach with wide eyes.

"Arthius, you're glowing" she stated.

"What do you mean?" he asked from within the swarm.

"I mean that you're literally glowing. Look at your reflection" Serana nodded towards the water.

Arthius looked down to see that he was in fact glowing. There was a bright golden aura surrounding him and he somehow just barely noticed it. He looked all around as the canyon somehow seemed more alive than ever before.

"Serana…remember when you said that it wasn't very beautiful in here?" Arthius asked. Serana nodded before Arthius grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her into the swarm. Serana looked at him with a raised eyebrow until she looked past him. Serana then slowly turned around, staring at everything from within the aura.

"Gods" she said as she stared at the tree in the center. Arthius pulled her into him and kissed the back of her head as he began to pull out the elder scroll. He held it in front of them, earning a nervous glance from Serana. He began kissing the back of her neck, trying to reassure her as he began to unravel the scroll. He opened it, receiving a flash of light. He readied himself as he opened it again, maintaining a few images. He opened it once more, as dozens of images flashed before him. He saw figures and heard whispers but only in flashes until he got a clear view of the location of Auriel's bow. And then…he heard voices, from somewhere else. He didn't know who said them or to who they are saying it to.

"_-it's time we stop this, before all of skyrim falls into peril…always be there, no matter the cost. I promise…continue what I started, and you shall reign…He's all I have"_ and as quick as they came, the voices faded. Arthius' vision slowly came back as he opened his eyes to see the ceiling of the cave. He looked around and saw Serana on her hands and knees at his feet. He slowly rose as Serana turned to him with a pained expression.

"Arthius?" she slowly asked as she began to open her eyes.

"Yes" he replied as he reached out and placed his hand on her shoulder. She gave him a small smile before rising to her feet slowly. She held her hand out to Arthius, helping him to his feet. Arthius thought about what he had heard, but decided to not mention it to Serana.

"Are you alright? You were as pale as the snow for a minute there" she asked with a raised eyebrow. Arthius nodded as he regained himself, holding his head. He suddenly shot his eyes open as he looked at Serana.

"Did you see it?" he asked. Serana nodded as she held her head.

"Yes, dark fall cave correct?" she said as she picked up the scroll from the ground. Arthius nodded, making Serana's expression turn serious.

"Then it's almost over. We can put an end to this prophecy once and for all" she said as she began to walk up the path.

"And then?" Arthius asked after her. Serana paused as he said this. She slowly turned around at Arthius with a blank expression.

"I guess we'll have to figure that out when we get there" she said before continuing up the path. Arthius sighed before following her, taking a final glance at the scene before them. As they walked the path, Serana continued to glance back at Arthius. Once they exited the cave, Arthius questioned her.

"Is something bothering you?" Arthius asked. Serana paused as she was putting on her hood, as the sun was well high in the clouds.

"It's nothing" she said as she put on her hood and began walking.

"You know I won't let it go" Arthius said as he walked beside her. She sighed before looking over to him.

"Arthius, did you see anything else while reading the scroll?" she said. Arthius glanced at her a moment before she continued.

"It's just…I think you should get cured" she said with a serious expression. Arthius raised an eyebrow at her as he was about to say something.

"I know that there might be reasons for you to stay a vampire, but right now I think it would be best if you were mortal. We don't need more enemies than we already have" she spoke before he could. Arthius pondered this as they walked before speaking.

"is this about the companions?" Arthius asked.

"No, well- yes but…it's not just that. There's just not many good reasons for you to be one. Especially with all the reasons not to be one" she said. She looked at Arthius as he gave her a concerned look.

"Just- please do it. If you know a way, then please do it. For me" she said with a small smile. Arthius knew that there was more to it than she was letting on, why else would she want him to become mortal again? Arthius knew that he she didn't want to tell him so he decided to let it go. Arthius turned to her and grabbed her hand. He slowly raised it to his mouth and kissed the back of her hand, getting a bright smile from Serana.

"Alright, we'll travel to get me cured tomorrow. We'll stay at my home for the night and we'll depart in the morning" Arthius said. Serana nodded as they continued towards his home.

"So what to do you actually know about Auriel's bow?" Arthius asked.

"Not much" Serana said plainly.

"If you read any history, it shows up from time to time, but it's a hard thing to track. As far as I know though, it's never been held by a vampire. That would be a new one" she said.

"So how does it help us? Auriel is an elven god but then what?" Arthius asked.

"Well, the way I heard it was that the sun represents the connection from our world to theirs. Supposedly, the bow draws its energy from the sun itself, which is why it shows up in the prophecy" Serana explained.

"So then, what does it do?" Arthius asked.

"That part, I don't know" Serana explained as she glanced at him.

"Well, maybe it'll be obvious once we have it" Arthius said. They soon arrived back at the house in the early evening. Arthius was surprised at this but then figured that they were unconscious for longer than he thought.

"Hey, before we go in there…" Serana spoke up. Arthius looked at her smirking.

"This again?" he said with a raised eyebrow. Serana smiled before she spoke.

"I just need to know, what do you think will happen if we defeat my father?" she asked.

"You mean once we defeat your father"

"Yeah, that" Serana said. Arthius looked down before speaking.

"I don't know Serana. With everyone else, I could just say that everything will be fine, and that we won't have anything to worry about afterwards. But with us, right now…" Arthius trailed off as he looked around. Searching desperately for the answers she was seeking for.

"That's what I was afraid of" she said as she knocked on the door. Arthius sighed as Lydia opened the door with a welcoming smile.

"Welcome home my thane" she said. After a long explanation and more bottles of mead one should drink. Lydia basically carried Arthius up the stairs to his room. Arthius fell asleep almost as soon as he hit the bed as Lydia descended the stairs. Serana was sitting in Arthius' library reading one of the books he had there as Lydia walked into the room and sat across from her. They stayed there in silence as Lydia watched Serana read.

"Clever old woman to pull off a trick like that. I'd love to learn that recipe" Serana said with a small smile as she began to put the book aside. She then looked up at Lydia with a plain face as Lydia stared back at her. The small candle in the room flickered slightly, shadowing the better half of their faces as they looked at one another.

"I'm unsure of your exact intensions, so I won't assume anything" Lydia said plainly. Serana nodded before Lydia continued.

"Just know that Arthius is a forgiving man. You may lie to him, steal from him, hurt him, or worse, hurt the ones he cares about, but he'll let it go completely if you believed it to be the right thing to do. This has caused many to think him weak, but those who are wise see that he is stronger than us all. It has also caused him much pain and grief. The kind that you can never understand, and the kind that one should never have to burden with. He's been deceived by those he's let close to him, and betrayed by those he cared for. And yet, all he ever wants to do is help those around him" Lydia spoke as she looked to the candle. As she turned back, Serana saw the tears in her eyes. As she spoke, her voice cracked.

"So I beg of you. Please, please don't hurt him. From the small time I've known you, I can see the way he cares about you. He would gladly die for any good person, but he would do so much more for you. So just…" Lydia trailed off as she placed her head in her palms. Serana grew teary at Lydia's words and moved over to her to comfort her.

"I understand" Serana spoke as she placed her hand on Lydia's back. She understood now. Lydia was always doing what was expected of her, protecting her thane. That's why she always wanted to be near him, to know where he was, to care for him in any way she could. She knew all the pain he had suffered and how she must have felt for not being able to stop it. It was true, Lydia loved him. But not as a woman would love her husband, but the way a mother would love her son. Because that's what she is, his protector.

Lydia looked up at Serana for a moment before standing and walking to the doorway, but not before hearing something from Serana.

"He needs you, more than you can imagine" Serana spoke. Lydia froze at this, before continuing out the door. Serana sat there in silence, smiling as she stood and looked through Arthius' vast assortment of books. ""_The Cabin in the Woods" sounds interesting"_ Serana thought to herself as she plucked it from the shelf. Once she had finished the book, Serana found herself basically in a ball as she sat. She jumped at every crack or chirp that came from outside. Serana took a deep breath before she walked to the door and opened it. On the other side was the silhouette of a woman, making Serana scream as she fell back. As she looked up, she saw Lydia staring down at her with a raised eyebrow.

"The cabin in the woods?" Lydia asked. Serana gulped as she nodded. After a few moments Lydia began laughing cheerfully as she held her hand to Serana. Serana smiled slightly as she took Lydia's hand as she was helped to her feet.

"One that will keep you up is "The Locked Room"" Lydia said with a smile. After sitting down and waiting for Serana to finish, Lydia almost laughed as Serana looked up at her.

"How did she get it around his neck?!" Serana asked. At this, Lydia laughed heartedly as did Serana. After a pleasant discussion about the books they enjoyed, Lydia ascended the stairs to her bedroom. Serana sat there for a few moments before ascending the stairs. She slowly opened the door to Arthius' room as she peered inside. He was sleeping peacefully on his bed. He had changed his clothing sometime during the night as he was now wearing a blue tunic as his armor was set aside. Serana slowly began to leave as Arthius shifted to the other side of the bed, leaving a space bigger than she would need. Serana stood there for a few minutes before slowly walking over to the bedside, slowly removing her boots, hood, and cape. She slowly slid into the furs as she began to lie down in the soft bed. As she began to close her eyes, she jumped as Arthius wrapped his arm around her mid-section and pulled her into him. She found herself warmer than ever as she nuzzled into him.

"Were you awake this whole time?" she whispered to him.

"I just wanted to see how easy it was to manipulate you" Arthius whispered. Serana turned to him, staring into his eyes as she put her hand on the back of his head. She pulled him into a deep kiss as he wrapped his arms around her and brought her on top of him. She quickly threw off his tunic as she kissed his shoulders. Arthius chuckled as he straightened her as he carefully undid her bindings on her armor. He quickly untied the strings, getting a small smile from Serana. She leaned into him and kissed him as he removed her leather from around her torso. He ran his hands around her as he kissed her neck, getting a small moan from Serana. He began to remove her top just as they heard Lydia yawn before she settled in her bed. Serana looked down at Arthius with a smile.

"I think we got a little carried away Arthius" Serana said. Arthius looked up at her with a sigh, as she began to leave the bed.

"Oh to oblivion with that" Arthius said as he reached over and grabbed Serana by the wrist, pulling her back to him. Serana laughed in delight as Arthius laid her down as he got on top of her, burying himself in her neck. Serana bit her bottom lip as Arthius continued down her jaw line and began kissing next to the fabric of her top. He began slowly removing it as he kissed every inch on the way. Just as Arthius was going to reach her breast, there was a loud knocking on the door.

"Are you alright my thane?" Lydia boomed from the other side. Arthius fell onto his back with a huff.

"Yes Lydia, we were a little busy" Arthius said annoyed.

"I know" Lydia said with a laugh. Serana sighed with a large smile as she looked to Arthius. She then kissed him on the cheek before curling up next to him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Good night Arthius" she said.

"Good night Serana" Arthius said with a huff.

They awoke the next morning and dressed and descended the stairs to see Lydia setting them am meal.

"I assume you had a good sleep" Lydia said with a smile.

"Yes, sleep. And that was all" Arthius said as he looked at what she was doing.

"Lydia, vampires don't eat regular food" Arthius said.

"I know you don't need it, but I'm sure you can still enjoy it" Lydia said as she placed down a bowl of horker stew. Arthius almost immediately sat in front of it and began spooning mouthfuls. Lydia laughed as she looked to Serana.

"Oh, no thank you" Serana smiled. Arthius looked to Serana in-between mouthfuls.

"Lydia makes amazing sweet rolls" Arthius said with a wink. Serana glanced at Lydia as she followed her into the kitchen. After two bowls of horker stew and a new batch of sweet rolls for the road, Arthius hugged Lydia goodbye as he boarded the carriage that resided outside of his home. Serana gave a nod to Lydia before taking Arthius' hand onto the carriage. They made their way down the trail, as Lydia watched them leave. "_Please, keep him safe for me"_ Lydia thought before she entered the home.

They travelled for a few hours until the driver suddenly halted. Arthius was about to speak until he looked in front of the carriage. "_Well, looks like the mutts have found us"_

**That would be the end of chapter 14. So many things in this chapter. What did Serana see? Did anyone else tear up at Lydia's speech or just me? And I think that Lydia wins the "fun time" blocker of the year award. Still keeping it PG guys but I dunno, might change that later on. And can we get a few more reviews for this chapter? Those mean so much more than you guys can possibly imagine. **

**Anyways, please leave a review or private message me if you have a question. I love speaking with my readers and it's really what encourages me to continue these. Still on the hunt for a good pic for my story if you're interested in drawing or finding one.**

**Thanks for reading.**


	15. Betrayal

The brothers stood in front of the carriage, still not aware that Arthius was aboard. Arthius cursed to himself knowing that he should have expected this. Vilkas and Farkas were probably travelling by foot and checking every carriage on their way. Arthius looked at the sleeping Serana, who was sitting in the corner. He had to think of something quick. He reached into their satchel of potions and brought out two potions of invisibility. He looked at Serana and carefully but quickly muffled her with his hand and dragged her down to the floor with him. Serana's eyes shot open as her breath quickened. Arthius silently shushed her as he gave her the potion.

"Greetings, we need to inspect your carriage. Official companion business" Arthius heard Vilkas speak. He quickly popped open his potion and began to drink it.

"I can assure you that there's nothing wrong with my carriage" the man said grumpily.

"We are searching for a man. Brown hair, pale, Nord" Farkas spoke with a gruff.

"You mean him?" the driver asked as he pointed back to the seats. Just as he did this, Arthius muffled himself with his tunic as he shouted.

"RAAN MIR TAH"

The shout was silent, but the effect still worked. Nearby, a deer began to noisily stomp and jerk around as it ran through the forest, getting the attention of the three men. Vilkas quickly inspected the carriage, seeing nothing.

"After them!" Farkas shouted as he charged into the woods. Vilkas stormed after his brother but stopped at the tree line, as he looked back and eyed the carriage. He then heard shouting in the distance and rushed after his brother. Arthius waited in silence as he lay next to Serana. The carriage driver was now cursing, thinking that Arthius and Serana snuck away without payment. As he sat back down, Arthius covered the driver's mouth as he whispered to him.

"I will give you triple what I owe you if you continue. Do not speak of this to anyone or I swear on the divines, I will kill you" Arthius said as he released the driver. The driver gulped slightly as he shifted in his seat. He then cracked the reigns as he continued the carriage down the road. Arthius lied back down next to Serana as the effects of the potion faded. He looked to Serana with a smile as she sighed. Arthius grinned at her as he pulled her into him. She rested her head on his chest as they lied in the carriage. They stayed in silence for a few hours as they approached Morthal.

"Arthius?" Serana asked.

"Yes?"

"What…I'm concerned with what will happen once you're cured" she said nervously. Arthius looked over at her with a raised eyebrow.

"How so?" he asked.

"I mean, do you think…" Serana trailed off.

"I just- I don't know how I feel about it" Serana continued. Arthius shifted himself to face her.

"If this isn't what you want, tell me and we'll act as though this never happened" Arthius said as he placed his hand on her cheek. Serana looked up at him with a blank face, before kissing him.

"It's what I want" Serana said with a smile. Arthius kissed her forehead before settling back down. Serana lied down again, grateful that Arthius couldn't see through her lie. They arrived in Morthal later that evening. Arthius paid the man as he promised and a bit extra for taking them somewhere beside a hold. Serana looked around the town, feeling uncomfortable with the swamp surrounding it.

"Not much of a sight, is it?" Serana said as Arthius approached.

"No, not a good reputation either" Arthius said as he looked around.

"There was almost a vampire uprising here, luckily a great hero was able to stop it" Arthius said as he crossed his arms.

"Who was the hero?" Serana asked.

"Me" Arthius said with a smirk. He smiled as he received the rough slap across the face from Serana. He quickly walked ahead to avoid Serana's swings as they continued through the town. They soon stopped in front of a home as Arthius glanced at Serana. She nodded at him before he knocked on the door. A young girl opened it and looked at the two before glancing back.

"Falion, there are some vampires at the door" she said loudly. Arthius and Serana's eyes shot open as they worried if someone had heard the girl. An older Redgaurd dressed in blue robes quickly pulled the girl away from the door ad he looked at the visitors.

"Ah, Arthius. Good to see you again" the man spoke, gesturing them inside.

"Hello Falion" Arthius smiled as he walked in. Falion smiled at Serana, nodding before she entered the home. Falion closed the door behind them and gestured towards a few chairs. Arthius simply crossed his arms as Serana stood beside the wall with her hood on.

"So, what brings you here?" Falion smiled.

"Well, as you can tell-"Arthius began.

"Yes, you're a vampire. Why did you not cure yourself when it was still in its early state?" Falion asked.

"Because I didn't contract it from a normal vampire" Arthius said as he nodded towards Serana. She looked up at him with her arms crossed, feeling a bit nervous. Falion looked at Serana before looking back at Arthius.

"Friend or foe?" he asked plainly.

"Friend" Arthius stated. Falion nodded before smiling back at Serana. He then held out his hand at her.

"Falion, pleasure to meet you Serana" Falion said. Serana shook his hand, giving him a nod. Falion turned back to Arthius.

"Serana is a daughter of Coldharbour" Arthius said. Falion's eyes shot open as he turned back to Serana.

"So, that means-"Falion began.

"I'm very old. Yes" Serana said. Arthius smiled at her before Falion turned back to him.

"So, you're trying to get cured are you?" Falion asked. Arthius nodded at him before turning to Serana. She was looking down so he didn't get a glance at her. Arthius turned back to Falion with a second nod.

"Alright, do you have the black soul gem?" Falion asked. Arthius nodded as he reached into his satchel and pulled out a black soul gem and handed it to Falion.

"Alright, meet me at dawn. The same spot as last time" Falion nodded as he walked out the door. Serana looked up at Arthius with a raised eyebrow.

"Last time?" Serana asked.

"Another time Serana" Arthius said plainly.

"We should get a room while we wait, it'll be a long night" Arthius said as he walked to the door. He held it open for Serana as she walked out.

"Pleasure to see you again Agni" Arthius smiled at the young girl.

"You too Mr. Arthius" she smiled back at him while she worked at the alchemy table. Arthius walked out the door to Serana.

"It's strange how such a young girl is so fascinated in alchemy" Arthius said with a shrug.

"You are aware that I was fascinated with alchemy when-"she stopped when she saw the smirk on Arthius' face. She then punched him in the jaw, making Arthius stumble. He looked up smiling at Serana, making her grin.

"You're trying a bit too hard to be hit" Serana smiled as she shook her head.

"Or maybe I just enjoy the feel of your hands" Arthius said with a smirk. Serana raised her hand once more but her seriousness broke as she leaned over laughing. Arthius pulled her into him as he wrapped his arm around her waist as they walked down the path. They soon arrived at the inn, which was pretty empty other than a drunk and the owner. Arthius dropped a few septims in front of the man at the counter.

"A room for the day please" Arthius smiled. The man gave Arthius a polite smile before nodding to a door. Arthius walked over to the door and held it open as Serana entered the room. Arthius entered after her and closed the door before turning to her.

"We have some time-"Arthius was then muffled by Serana's lips. She held him against the door as she tossed her hood aside. Arthius smiled as he broke the kiss and pressed his forehead to hers, staring into her eyes. Arthius could see the hunger in her eyes as she pressed her lips to his again. Arthius wrapped his arms around her waist as he pulled her into him. He began kissing her neck passionately, getting a moan from Serana. Arthius thrived at this as he nuzzled her neck, loving the smoothness of her skin. Serana smiled as she held his head there, as she began playfully biting his ear. Arthius began to move around the room, keeping Serana with him. He sat down on a chair as Serana positioned herself atop of him. She straightened up, making Arthius stare up at her. She held his head in both hands as she looked down at him as she bit her bottom lip. She then slapped him across the face, getting a playful growl from him. Serana chucked as she moved his head around in different directions as Arthius just looked at her, as she was wearing her all too familiar blank face. Arthius stared into her eyes as she moved his head around. He was almost entranced as she played with his head, just staring into her eyes. Serana slowly leaned in and kissed him passionately, the hunger and lust now gone. Just the love she had for Arthius was what was showing. Arthius closed his eyes, as did Serana as they kissed in silence. The only sound being their lips parting occasionally. Arthius reached up and undid her hair, getting a large smile from Serana. Arthius opened his eyes slowly, not wanting to disturb the moment as he just stared at the woman in front of him. He lost his breath as she slowly opened her eyes and stared into his. Arthius slowly placed his palm on her cheek as he smiled at her. Serana held his hand there as she closed her eyes, making a few tears fall. Arthius wiped them away before leaning in and kissing her cheeks. She looked up at him with a smile.

"We actually have time to just…sit back and not worry about anything" she said as she ran her hand through his hair. Arthius brought her to him, nuzzling her neck. Serana kissed the top of his head as she nuzzled it. Arthius leaned back slightly, bringing Serana with him. They then heard a loud crack, making look at one another. Then the back leg of the chair snapped in half, sending them falling back once more. Serana toppled off of Arthius as he hit his head on the floor. Serana landed on her side before rolling onto her back, the top of her head almost measuring to Arthius'. She turned to him with a large grin. She found it amusing how he appeared to be upside down from this angle.

"Gods Damnit!" Arthius shouted. Serana laughed as she reached over and put her palm on his cheek.

"Or…I suppose we could just lie back and not worry about anything" she said grinning. Arthius looked over at her, feeling a bit annoyed. It faded as soon as he saw her smiling at him, calming his every sense.

"I love you" Arthius said.

"I love you too" Serana grinned. Arthius grabbed her arm and quickly pulled her to him, placing her on top of him as she laughed. They were soon sitting on the bed, Arthius' back against the wall as Serana sat on his lap and leaning into him. She rested the back of her head back on his shoulder as she stared into his eyes. Arthius was twirling her hair with his finger as serana nuzzled into him.

"It's almost time" Arthius said calmly. Serana looked down for a moment before looking up at him. She grinned widely at him then, placing a large kiss on his lips.

"Then we should be going" Serana said as she slowly rose, beginning to fix her hair. Arthius smiled before rising and gathering his armor, sword, and shield. They departed after getting a wink from the innkeeper, to which Serana scowled at. They made their way through the swamp to find a circle of columns with a large platform at the center. Falion was waiting beside it, crossing his arms. Arthius approached with a nod to Falion.

"Let us begin" Falion said as Arthius stepped in the center. Serana stood a bit away from it behind Falion, not trying to interfere in any way. They both waited patiently until Falion began.

"I call upon Oblivion realms. The home of those who are not our ancestors. Answer my plea!" Falion shouted as he raised his arms.

"As in death there is new life, in Oblivion there is a beginning for that which has ended. I call forth that power! Accept the soul that we offer!" Falion shouted. As he did this, Serana felt something strange within her, she simply shook it off as Falion continued.

"As the sun ends the night..." Falion spoke. Serana's chest began to pound, she felt a great pain as Falion spoke. Something wasn't right, she knew something was wrong.

"…end the darkness of this soul…" Falion shouted. Serana heard it as a whisper, she was sweating heavily and her breath was quickened. She was panting heavily as the pain ran through her entire body.

"…return life to the creature you see before you!" Falion screamed. Serana pounded the tree beside her as the pain increased She fell to her knees, shaking violently. She found it hard to breathe though she was panting heavily. Her chest hurt beyond belief as her vision blurred. And suddenly, it stopped.

"The ritual is complete" Falion spoke. Arthius was on his knees, he slowly rose and looked around blinking. It was morning now, and the light broke through the trees. It was then that he saw Serana on her knees looking hurt. He quickly rushed over to her as Falion made his way back to Morthal. Arthius knelt beside Serana looking at her with concern.

"Are you alright?" he asked. Serana instantly smiled as she heard his voice. She smiled up at him, but the smile faded as soon as it came. She stared at the man in front of her, wondering if Arthius was behind him or if the voice came from somewhere else. Arthius stared at her, unsure if this was even Serana. The woman he loved almost looked nothing like the woman in front of him, yet he knew they were the same. Serana slowly rose her hand and placed it on Arthius' cheek. Her hand was rough and cold, unlike the Serana he loved. Her hand was soft and soothing, and her eyes were kind and loving. The woman's in front of him had eyes that only showed hunger. She was a vampire, the thing he hated. Arthius swatted her hand away as he quickly rose and backed away from her. Serana watched in shock as she realized what had happened.

"Arthius…" she whispered as the tears swelled in her eyes. It was true, the entire time it was always true. There wasn't any love secretly building. There wasn't any true happiness between them as they stayed together. There wasn't any true passion. Every kiss was false, every embrace wasn't true, and every "I love you" was just a lie. It was all just an effect of the blood bond, and now it was gone. The man she loved…never truly existed. Just an illusion of what Arthius was.

"_No, no, no, no, no"_ Serana thought as she held her head as the tears fell. Arthius turned from her as his breath quickened. "_It wasn't true. None of it. Just another damn magical…"_ Arthius couldn't hold it in as he punched the tree beside of him with all his might.

"GODS DAMNIT!" Arthius screamed as he continued to punch the tree with all his might. He cursed Mara with all of his being for allowing this. He continued until his fists bled and he couldn't do it anymore. Arthius collapsed, not wanting to bother to even catch himself. Serana was kneeling there, staring at the ground. She allowed herself a few more minutes of self-pity before she slowly rose.

"Arthius…" she spoke. When he did not respond, she continued.

"Arthius, we still have to stop my father. Come on, we've wasted enough time here already" Serana spoke without emotion. "_It was all a damn waste of time"_ she thought to herself. Arthius slowly rose and walked past her back to Morthal as she followed. Serana thought about everything that had happened, every kiss and embrace they had. She now thought of herself as a fool. She cried almost every day, she was such a wreck then, she almost slept with him. Serana was frustrated at these thoughts, though through it all, she couldn't deny that she wanted it to be like that more than anything. "_But it can't, it was never truly like that" _she thought. _"I was a damn fool, I knew it! I knew what it was and yet I ignored it because he was there"_ she thought. They were now walking out of Morthal on the road, "_He made me not worry about it, and he made me stop thinking! He made it so I didn't care about anything! The time we wasted in those caves, feeding our own emotions instead of trying to save all of Tamriel!"_ she thought furiously. _"He made me not care about the troubles…he made me feel as though all was good…he-"_Serana was tearing again as she thought about the man she loved. The man who loved her with all his heart and would do anything to bring her joy. The man who never existed. Serana grew furious at this and she punched a nearby tree with all of her might, sending her fist through it entirely. Arthius stopped walking, but didn't turn around. Serana slowly pulled her arm out as she waited for Arthius. He began walking down the path again, and Serana followed. She didn't know what to think, she was just hurt by all of this. She thought back before Arthius was turned. They were still close, even then. But does that mean anything? They were allies, not much else. She then thought of Arthius the person. The man who existed, who had suffered through this same as her. "_By the gods, I'm a monster. I just think about my feelings, and Arthius is probably worse off than I am"_ she thought. She thought of all Arthius was. He was hurt beyond belief by his past, his allies and closest friends never seemed to care as long as it interfered with their own goals. He was charged with being a savior when he needed help as much as any other person. And the first time he loves…he's immediately betrayed. Serana knew that he'd never been hurt like this, not even close, and it was her fault. "_I knew it was a blood bond, and yet I allowed myself to love him, allowed my greed to take over"_ Serana thought. It was night now, and Arthius was setting up a camp. Serana watched as he set up their sleeping rolls and the fire. She watched him keep busy, looking anywhere but in her direction. He finished as he sat beside the fire, staring into it. Serana slowly sat on the opposite end of it, not daring to look up at him. After a few hours, Arthius slowly rose to his feet and made his way to his way to his sleeping roll and stood beside it. He removed his armor and put on his tunic before settling into the roll. Serana eyed him before slowly making her way to her own. She thought of all the nights that they stayed in each other's arms. This hurt her deeply, thinking of laying with him, staying that close to him. Though it wasn't him, no matter how much she wished it was. As she slowly slid into her roll, she couldn't help but ask one question.

"You hate me, don't you?" Serana asked as she lied down. It was silent for a long time until Arthius spoke up.

"No…you gave me a woman to love. Someone who was closer to me than anyone in existence. Someone that I love with all of my heart" Arthius said. Serana's eyes watered at his words.

"And then, you stole her away from me for all eternity. So no, I don't hate you…I fear you, with all my being" Arthius spoke. Serana's chest burst as she heard his words. She shook as the tears rushed down from her face as she bawled loudly. Arthius heard her cry, not giving a single damn about her. She had hurt him more than anyone else, more than all the people that betrayed him. Not caring that he had told her the worst thing anyone could have said to her. He had told her the only thing that truly destroyed her. He had told her the truth.

**That's the end of chapter fifteen, hope you weren't too distraught about this one as I think you might be. I guess forgetting it ever happened is going to have a difference in meaning. This was a very critical chapter so I'm begging to hear your thoughts on this one. If we could at least get the reviews up to fifty (Total not just this chapter) on this one then that would be great.**

**Anyways, please leave a review or private message me if you have a question. I love speaking with my readers and it's really what encourages me to continue these. I can't stress it enough that the best thing you guys can do is leave a review. Still on the hunt for a good pic for my story if you're interested in drawing or finding one.**

**Thanks for reading.**


	16. Mending the Wound

It had been three days since Arthius had cured himself, and all three were miserable. Arthius had refused to take a carriage to solitude so they were forced to walk halfway across skyrim to reach dark fall cave. They had not spoken to each other since the first night, and Serana was growing weary of this. She wasn't attached to Arthius the way she was…before, but she still knew when he was troubled. She could feel his anger building as each day progressed, and she knew it was only a matter of time before he snapped. She would have said something sooner, but her own anger towards Arthius was keeping her from doing it. Every night since the curing, Arthius had been suffering through intense night terrors. Serana could hear his whimpers as he slept, and she saw how he sweated heavily. She knew that she could just shake him from his dream, or even hold him as that would relieve most of it, but she couldn't help to just sit there and watch with a smile. She resented Arthius since that night he had hurt her, she could almost compare him to her father. "_If this is the gods' way of giving me comfort, so be it"_ she would think to herself as she watched him. She wasn't proud of herself for enjoying his suffering, but it just felt too good to pass up. Arthius paid her back during the day, whether he knew it or not. All they did was walk, not speak, not do anything, just walk. Serana never felt so alone during these times, even back when she lived in the castle. She would find some ways of comfort then, whether it be in the undercroft or tending to her mother's garden by herself. But now, it was just walking. It was sort of like reading a book, she knew about all of these fascinating things now as they walked through the province, but she had no one to share it with. That night as Arthius had finished up setting their camp, Serana had decided she had enough.

"Arthius" she called to him. Arthius stiffened as he had his back to her, but he did not respond. Serana walked to him slowly, cautiously.

"Arthius, we need to speak" Serana said as she was directly behind him now. She slowly put her hand on his shoulder, unsure if he would attack her.

"Arthius…I don't know if you're angry at me, or the situation, or just magicka itself. But I know that you're angry" Serana spoke softly. Arthius turned slightly, making a small smile appear on Serana's face.

"I know that you're hurt, I am too. I swear I would have stopped it, but-"Arthius turned to her suddenly, catching Serana by surprise. His face said it all as he stared at her. Serana winced slightly before she continued.

"I- I told you what it was before hand and-"Serana slightly stepped back as she felt the rage growing in Arthius.

"Arthius, we both knew what it was, but we chose to ignore it. We- we should have known-"Serana grew nervous as Arthius took as step towards her.

"Arthius!" Serana screamed at his face. Arthius was taken aback by this as Serana paced at him.

"We both knew the stakes, and we both chose to ignore them, so don't you damn dare this on me!" she shouted. Arthius' expression changed to a surprised one as Serana continued.

"Do you really think that I chose for this to happen?! That I wanted this?! How about you take your head out of your own ass and think!" Serana was now furious. She never knew that this much rage had been building in her, but she was ready for a fight if Arthius chose to give it to her. And she would be sure that it didn't end happily like last time.

"I was hurt just as much as you, and I'm genuinely sorry that it happened…in more ways than one" Serana said with a calmer tone. Arthius eyed her for a few moments before huffing. He closed his eyes and Serana saw his hand change to a fist. Serana knew that this would turn into a brawl, and she wasn't against it. But something changed in her, she once again thought of Arthius' pain and anger, of what she had promised to Lydia, even if things weren't the same. Serana quickly wrapped her arms around Arthius, pulling him into hug. She tightened her grip, holding his arms down. She was unsure what would happen, and was feeling a little uncomfortable. She slowly pulled away, to find Arthius' hand firmly grasping his sword. Serana quickly looked up at Arthius as he had his head held down. He slowly let his hand drop from his handle before turning to his bedroll. Serana watched him as he lied down, not feeling as though she accomplished anything. Arthius lied down, readying himself for sleep. He knew that the terrors would return, but he had no choice.

_Arthius opened his eyes to darkened skies. He was lifted from behind and pushed towards a crumbling tower. He turned to see his executioner turned savior be grabbed by the beast and lifted it to the air. Arthius knew this scene all too well, but as he turned back to the tower, it had changed. Instead of the tower being there, all he saw was darkness. Fire was burning all throughout it as he saw faces in front of him. Farkas, Vilkas, Aela, Cicero, Astrid, Rena, Karliah, Brynjolf, and …Serana. Not the one with him now, the one he loved and cherished. All the darkness and fire faded as she stood in front of him. Arthius quickly embraced her as they kissed, holding her tighter than ever before._

Serana leaned into Arthius as they lay on the bedroll, she felt uncomfortable at first but as she felt him calm down as she wrapped his arm around her, nuzzling into him. Arthius was warm, and she felt more comfortable in his arms. She thought of the Arthius before the vampire Arthius. She thought of how close they were, and though it was nothing like what they had, they were still close. She couldn't say she was happy being where she was right now, saying that she liked Arthius was an exaggeration, but she hoped that they could be close as they were before. Arthius was her only friend, and she was unsure what she'd do without him. Serana sighed at the thought of this as she closed her eyes.

She awoke the next morning to find Arthius absent and already eating his meal. Serana huffed as she sat up, and that's when she noticed the sweet roll beside her. She looked at Arthius who didn't look back. She smiled as she picked it up and began eating it. Arthius sighed as he heard this, hoping it would help with how he's been acting. Arthius still hated Serana, he loathed her for everything that had happened. He knew it wasn't her fault, it was both of their faults, and Arthius hated himself just as much. She didn't deserve what he had been putting her through, but he wasn't in any mood to start speaking to her openly. As Arthius finished his meal, he kicked dirt onto the fire, extinguishing it. As he began to pick up his supplies, he was tackled by an enraged Farkas. Arthius landed on his back as Farkas began punching Arthius in the face. Farkas was absolutely livid as he continued his assault. Serana ran over to them as Vilkas intervened.

"Let me handle this" Vilkas shouted as he ran into the camp. Arthius struggled, but his immense strength was now gone. Vilkas rushed in and grabbed his brother from behind and began to pull him off as Farkas kicked Arthius as hard as he could. Arthius lied there, beaten and bloody. Serana rushed to kneel beside him and placed his head on her lap. She quickly grabbed the pouch beside Arthius and grabbed a large healing potion. She uncorked it and held it away to avoid the bitter smell. She then began pouring it into Arthius' mouth. Farkas struggled wildly as Vilkas held him to the ground.

"Calm yourself, brother! Calm yourself!" Vilkas yelled at Farkas. Farkas continued to struggle until he saw Arthius begin to rise. Farkas grew furious then and threw his brother off of him before charging once more. Serana placed herself in-between the two as she began to speak.

"Farkas, please-"she was silenced as Farkas smacked her across the side of her face. Arthius instantly grew enraged as he ducked a punch from Farkas while unsheathing his sword. He grabbed Farkas' arm and held it in place as he pierced his sword through Farkas' hand. Farkas howled as Arthius kicked the back of his knees, sending Farkas to the ground. Arthius went behind Farkas as held his sword to Farkas' throat, completely blinded by rage.

"I warned you damn it! I told you that if you harmed her again, I'd take your hand!" Arthius shouted into Farkas' ear. Farkas struggled as Arthius pressed the blade closer to Farkas' throat. Vilkas carefully approached them as Arthius turned to him. Farkas gagged as a trail of blood went down his neck. Arthius growled as he removed the blade from Farkas' throat and bashed him in the side of his head with the hilt of his sword. Farkas collapsed as he was struck, barely conscious. Arthius turned to face Vilkas with a scowl. Vilkas stared at Arthius with a serious expression, making sure that Arthius didn't take him lightly.

"Arthius, don't do anything foolish" Vilkas said as he unsheathed his sword. Arthius spit out some blood before smirking at Vilkas.

"Funny, I was going to say the same to you" Arthius said grinning. Serana quickly stepped in front of Arthius.

"Arthius, you have to calm yourself. These are your friends" Serana spoke calmly.

"Move out of the way Serana, you're not in a great place in my mind either" Arthius growled. Serana stood her ground, looking at Arthius in the eyes. Arthius scowled back before huffing.

"What do you want Vilkas?" Arthius asked. Vilkas looked up from his brother to look at Arthius.

"We're just trying to protect you Arthius" Vilkas spoke.

"From whom?"

"From yourself. Arthius, this vampire situation-"

"I'm not a damn vampire anymore Vilkas! I was cured three days ago" Arthius growled. Vilkas kept his expression as he turned to Serana.

"That's not what I was speaking of" Vilkas said. Arthius quickly grabbed Serana by the wrist and placed her behind him.

"So it's true then" Arthius spoke. "You're trying to take her"

"Arthius, this is a bad path that you're walking. Kodlak wouldn't-"

"Don't tell me what Kodlak would think! I'm trying to save all of Tamriel, the least I should get is the support of my comrades!" Arthius shouted. Serana was growing tired of this. She knew that Arthius would handle it as he usually does, but they don't need this at a time like this. When they are so close to the end.

"We're leaving now, and unless you'd like to be hurt, I'd suggest you stay-"Arthius was cut off as Farkas tackled him and Serana from behind. Arthius landed on his front as Serana was on top of him. She turned to her back as Farkas held her throat.

"Vilkas!" Arthius shouted. Serana gagged as Farkas tightened his grip.

"Just give yourself up Arthius, then we can end this as I snap this whore's-"Farkas was cut off as Serana snapped his hand. Farkas screamed as he rose from Serana. She then kicked him hard in the chest, sending him toppling back. Serana rose and helped Arthius onto his feet. As they rose, they heard a strange noise behind them. They turned to see Farkas had turned into his wolf form. Arthius was immediately swatted aside, leaving Serana to fend for herself. She slowly walked back as Farkas growled. As he was about to lunge, Arthius tackled Farkas from his side. Farkas growled as he struggled against Arthius' blows, but wasn't fast enough to escape another shot from the hilt of Arthius' blade.

"Vilkas!" Serana screamed. Vilkas watched in shock, frozen in place as he watched his brother and his closest companion battle. Serana turned back to see Farkas get a hold of Arthius and lunge him at a tree, making Arthius collapse on impact. Serana began to rush over to him but Farkas appeared in front of her in a heartbeat. Serana's eyes widened as Farkas grabbed her throat and began lifting her into the air. Serana gagged and kicked viscously while trying to free herself, but Farkas' hold on her never extinguished. Serana was choking now, gagging for any air she could get as Farkas growled with delight. Serana's eyes began to flutter as her kicks weakened. Her arms slowly fell to her sides as she began to lose her struggle. She took a glance at Arthius who lay there, hoping that he would forgive her for all that she'd done to him. Just then, Farkas howled in pain and dropped Serana. She landed in a heap as she collapsed. Farkas slowly turned his head to see Vilkas holding a silver dagger to his back.

"I'm sorry brother" Vilkas whispered. Farkas dropped to his knees as he began to morph back to his human form. Farkas collapsed as Vilkas looked around. Arthius lay broken as Serana slowly began to pick herself up. She coughed heavily on all fours as Vilkas approached her. She looked up at him as she raised her dagger, pointing it up at him. Vilkas crossed his arms as he looked down at her.

"Listen, we did not come all this way to just simply leave with nothing" Vilkas spoke in a gruff voice. Serana scowled at him as she quickly rose.

"Well, I guess it must be a burden to come all this way and go back with nothing but few scars" Serana said with a smile.

"If you do actually go back, I mean" she said grinning, baring her fangs. Vilkas scowled back at her before speaking.

"Don't tread over me so lightly vampire, be more respectful" Vilkas said. Serana smiled at him as she played with her dagger.

"Respectful…do you know what has happened recently? Well, as it turned out, everything I thought was true turned out to be a lie" she said with a grin. Vilkas shifted uncomfortably as he eyed the dagger. Serana winked at him, noticing it as she continued.

"And also, I didn't even have my own opinions at the time. I basically shared every one of Arthius '"she said, nodding to Arthius.

"So…I did respect you for a time. I even sort of like Farkas. But guess what?" she said as her eyes widened. Vilkas gulped as he watched her, knowing that he was feeling the anger and the frustration she had been holding for who knows how long.

"I'm me again, and I don't plan on changing that. So tell me Vilkas, do you really want to attempt to take something?" she said as she put the pointed end of her dagger to her thumb. She pressed slightly, sending a trail of blood down her hand as Vilkas watched.

"Or would you rather take your naked, unconscious brother back to Whiterun where you and your dirty pack of mutts belong?" she said plainly. Vilkas was frozen, unsure if this was the same woman that he helped back at the underforge. He took a quick glance at Arthius before turning back to Serana who was now standing directly in front of him. He fell back as she smiled down at him. He quickly rose and grabbed his brother, then turned and began into the woods. Serana waited for a few minutes before coughing up a bit of blood. She fell to her knees, too weak to stand.

"_Gods, I can't believe that worked"_ she thought to herself. She looked up at Arthius to see him reposition himself to sit against the tree. She walked over to him slowly before collapsing beside him. She sat with a huff as they stayed in silence.

"That was brilliant" Arthius spoke. Serana looked over to him to see him smiling as he faced forward. There was a trail of blood going down the side of his head and his face was bruised, but she couldn't help but smile back. She stopped as she thought of something, making her more serious.

"Why are you speaking to me?" Serana asked.

"Why not?"

"Because you're angry at me" Serana spoke. She couldn't believe him.

"You were furious! You didn't even speak to me for three days" she said as she stared at him.

"Exactly, I didn't speak to you for three days" Arthius said as he looked over at her.

"And it seems as though it wasn't easy for you" he said with a small smile.

"Besides, it was three days ago. The past is the past Serana" he said as he turned back forward. Serana stared at him, unsure what to say. She thought of how Lydia said he was forgiving, but…this is something else.

"So…we're alright?" Serana asked. Arthius looked over at her with a smile.

"Yes, we're alright" Arthius said. Serana leaned back with a sigh, getting a small chuckle from Arthius.

"I think I'm about to vomit that sweet roll" Serana said plainly.

"I'll do my best to ignore that" Arthius said. Serana did not have time to reply as she doubled over and vomited. Arthius kept looking straight forward with a large grin on his face. After a few more minutes, Serana helped Arthius up as he began using his healing spell. They walked as Serana held Arthius up, leaning him against her.

"See? I told you that you should be the one leaning on me" Serana said with a smirk. Arthius looked up at her with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm still taller" he said with a smile. Serana stopped walking and turned to him with a grin. She then dropped him, sending Arthius to his knees. She looked down at him with a smirk.

"Not from this angle you're not" she said. Arthius looked up at her with an annoyed expression.

"I'm not very fond of you right now Serana" Arthius said. Serana laughed as she crouched down and helped him back to his feet. They continued until they were back at the path, Arthius was healed enough to walk then.

"I must warn you Serana, Vilkas isn't to be taken lightly" Arthius said as he glanced over. Serana scoffed as she turned to him

"I can handle a mutt"

"But he isn't a mutt. Vilkas was cured, so that whole "binding rage" thing isn't an issue to him" Arthius said seriously.

"So, you want be to be afraid" Serana said looking forward again.

"No, I want you to be prepared. The only reason Vilkas followed us was to get an idea of what he's dealing with. And now he's organizing the best way to deal with the situation" Arthius said. Serana pondered this for a few moments before turning to Arthius.

"I don't want any trouble" Serana spoke, almost in a whisper. Arthius walked over to her and placed his hand on her shoulder, getting a quick glance from Serana.

"I'm sorry you're in this situation, all of it" he said, giving her shoulder a small squeeze before continuing walking. Serana sighed before she followed. They soon arrived at the mouth of the cave, it was late after noon and night was approaching. Arthius looked to Serana to find her shaking slightly.

"What is it?" Arthius asked. Serana's head jerked up before she looked down again.

"I… I haven't fed in some time" she said shakily. She avoided Arthius' gaze as she looked around the area, hoping to find some sort of nourishment. As she did this she heard a cork pop. She turned to see Arthius holding out a blood potion.

"Arthius, where-"

"I uh…was keeping it in case- well, this" Arthius shrugged. Serana raised an eyebrow before reaching out and taking it from him and uncorked it, drinking all of its bitter liquid sealed inside. Serana looked back up at Arthius when she was done, looking for an explanation.

"I…thought you might be needing them, so I uh…stole a few from your mother…" Arthius said as he glanced down. Serana smiled widely before laughing aloud.

"When did you do that?" Serana asked once she finished laughing,

"When she was opening the case for the scroll" Arthius grinned.

"You dirty thief" Serana smiled as she tossed the bottle aside. Arthius shrugged before turning and entering the cave. They walked for a few moments in darkness until they saw a torch mounted on the wall. They walked along a path, passing a waterfall coming down from the ceiling. They came across a few frostbite spiders, to which Arthius grinned as he stomped their heads in. They soon reached the end of the path to find an underground ravine, with an old rope bridge to lead them across. Arthius and Serana looked over the edge to the rushing waters below, before looking back up at the bridge.

"Alright…Damnit" Serana spoke. Arthius sighed as he placed a foot on the bridge, getting a look from Serana. He gently placed his other foot in front of him, making the bridge whine slightly. He then began shuffling slowly across it, hoping that it wouldn't snap beneath him. Once he made it across, he motioned for Serana to follow. She nodded as she simply began walking across it, getting a nervous look from Arthius. Serana grinned as she was halfway across. Suddenly, there was a large creaking sound that made Serana freeze. She quickened her pace as the sound became louder, and she slipped slightly. As she was about to fall over the edge, Arthius reached out and grabbed her arm before pulling her into him. Arthius wrapped his arms around her as they stood, breathing heavily as they looked at the bridge. After a few moments, Serana noticed that Arthius was holding her closely

"Arthius, I'm sure you're afraid of heights, but I think we're good now" she said plainly. Arthius looked at her, before releasing his grasp and backing away. Serana cleared her throat before speaking.

"Alright, now where do-"she stopped as she turned to see nothing but a wall. From across the bridge, it seemed like an opening in the cave, but it was just a dark formation. Serana gulped as she looked back at the bridge.

"Well…take two" Arthius shrugged as he approached it. Serana watched as Arthius crossed, before they heard the rope snap. Serana's eyes widened as she instinctively ran to Arthius as he turned to her. She grabbed him, just as the bridge collapsed. They fell into the darkness as they screamed, unknowing to what might come. They landed in rapids as they were pushed down a tunnel. Arthius surfaced to see that they were approaching a waterfall. He looked for Serana before he felt her grab him. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her into him as he closed his eyes. He opened them as they were launched over the side of the waterfall into more rapids, getting more screams for them. They rushed down another tunnel as they saw another fall approaching, getting a whimper from Serana. Arthius held her closer to him as they neared it. They went over to see the cave expanding, making them land in a small amount of water. It was silent for a moment before Arthius surfaced, gasping for air and coughing as he heard Serana doing the same behind him. He slowly crawled out of the water and collapsed on the rocky shore. It was then that he noticed Serana was on his back, clinging to him tightly. Arthius wanted to say something, but he had no energy to make a joke. They stayed there in silence as they breathed heavily, hearing nothing but the water crashing behind them.

"All of this…because of the damn…elder scrolls" Arthius huffed out in-between breaths. Serana slowly rolled off of him, onto her back.

"I don't even…know what…they are" Arthius turned to Serana.

"Do you?" She turned to him, her teeth were chattering as she laid there.

"N-no…I g-guess you don't learn much…from j-just sleeping with something" Serana spoke, shivering. Arthius smiled as he stared at her.

"I guess…you really wanted to know…what happened in cyrodiil that night" Arthius said chuckling. Even in the darkness of the cave, Arthius could see Serana's cheeks blush heavily. He laughed before noticing her constant chatter of teeth. He slowly undid his chest plate and tossed it aside. He then reached over and pulled Serana into him. Serana's eyes were closed, but then she suddenly felt warm all over. She thought she was dreaming for a moment before she opened her eyes. She blushed again as she saw Arthius' arm wrapped around her midsection. She turned slightly to see that he was holding her closely against his bare chest as he lied on his back. He was sleeping now, and Serana was unsure if she should detach from him. She didn't know what she wanted when suddenly, Arthius sighed as he pulled her closer. Serana was frozen at this, until she slowly nuzzled into his chest. She felt warm, and she felt safe. She couldn't deny that she was glad to see Arthius back to his former self, but at this moment…she wondered…if Arthius, and the man she loved, were the same person. She shrugged the thought off as she wrapped her arm around his waist and rested her head on his shoulder. As she drifted off into sleep, she couldn't help but smile at one final thought.

"_I guess I really do want to know what happened in cyrodiil"_

**Hey there, that's the end of chapter 16. I know most of you guys had a…reaction to the last chapter. Trust me, if I didn't want that, I wouldn't have made it like that. I'm hoping you guys can see the difference in Serana and Arthius' personalities' now that the bond is broken. They just weren't themselves before, so hopefully it's not that bad. There were a few hints in this chapter and I'd love to see if you guys can point them out.**

**I've said this before and I'll say it again. The best thing you guys can do to show your appreciation is to leave a review or PM me. It means the world to me if you guys do that since it actually lets me know how you guys feel about the story or a certain chapter. So be sure to fill out those reviews whenever you can and I'll be sure to respond to it.**

**Thanks for reading.**


	17. Journey Through the Cave

**Quick note. Please notice that the picture for this story is now the probably most popular scene in my story. All thanks go to** **danadanaBATMAN for showing me his progress step by step and putting up with my criticism. **

**Now please, read on.**

Serana drifted off into slumber, awaiting whatever dreams she may come across. She instead found voices, voices that were arguing to each other. She soon realized that both voices were her own. She wondered what it meant for a moment before coming to a conclusion, they were her mind deciding on what she really wanted. Serana listened as the voices spoke.

"_There is obviously more important things to worry about right now! How can you put aside the fates of mankind and vampires alike for these false feelings?!" _one spoke angrily. Serana decided that this was her logic speaking. She then heard another voice, sounding as though it was pleading.

"_But you don't know that! How can you say they were false when-"_

"_Because they faded as soon as the bond was broken! You have no attachment to him at all! The only reason you've grown close to him is because he's the only person so far that isn't trying to kill you!"_

"_To say that I don't love him is understandable, but to say that we are not friends is a lie. He cares about me, he understands how it feels to be alone"_

"_Open your eyes, he never showed any feelings towards you until you turned him. Why do you think he resents you?!"_

"_He doesn't resent me, he said-"_

"_And you believed him?! The only reason he told you that is because he feels sorry for you! He knows that you have no one, and he's doing his best to fill in the space"_

"_And he's doing a fine job. He's caring, wise, humorous, and kind. He's exactly like Arthius"_

Serana was taken aback by this. She was sure that they were speaking of Arthius the whole time. And then she realized, they don't think of the mortal Arthius to be the real one, but the vampire Arthius she cared more for. She accepted this as she listened further.

"_Arthius doesn't exist! Why can't you see that?!"_

"_He does exist, and I love him with all-"_

"_No you don't! You don't love anyone, you never did! That wasn't you and that wasn't him!"_

"_He acts as he does-"_

"_He acts as no one but himself. He can't act like someone who never existed in the first place! There was never love to begin with, and you have to accept that" _

Serana waited until she realized that the other voice had nothing to say. Serana knew it to be true, and that was painful to realize. It was true, she still resented Arthius for what happened. She still didn't trust him to be honest, and she couldn't blame herself for doing so. But that didn't mean that she didn't care for him. Arthius was the only person that cared about her. If he wasn't there, she was alone. Serana knew that her own happiness was false, as she hadn't any idea what she really wanted. She knew only one thing for certain, they had to stop her father, it was too important. Serana came to peace with this decision as she opened her eyes. It was probably morning now as she began to remove herself from Arthius. She rose slowly, noticing that her dagger was missing. She assumed it had been taken in the rapids, so she began searching through the water. After about an hour, Serana had found her dagger, Arthius' sword, and their satchel of supplies. She had also found the bag of potions, but was frustrated to see that the bottles inside were smashed, leaving nothing but broken glass. After a few moments of attempting to dry her clothing, she heard Arthius groan as he rose. As he sat up, before he quickly turned to his left and coughed up a mouthful of water. He wiped his mouth as he looked to Serana.

"I hope you weren't offended" Arthius spoke.

"It was to keep me warm, correct?"

"Of course" Arthius nodded. Serana nodded back, knowing it to be true. Arthius gathered his armor and put it on, groaning slightly.

"Can you hand me a stamina potion?" Arthius asked. Serana looked at him with a calm face.

"The potions were smashed against the rocks, there were none remaining" Serana said. Arthius stared at her for a moment before smiling.

"And the blood potions were in there as well" he said as he placed his hands on his hips as he turned around. He walked forwards a bit before throwing his shield against the wall as hard as he could.

"GODS DAMNIT!" he screamed. Serana winced, not expecting his sudden outburst of rage.

"I'm sorry, it's just…things are pretty bad" Arthius said as he put his hand to his face. Serana knew he meant more than just the potions, or even the cave. Nothing had been good lately, and it seemed to just get worse.

"Arthius…before we continue…can I ask something of you?" Serana asked. Arthius sighed before looking up at her. He gave her a small smile before replying.

"Of course"

"Please, don't speak of anything that happened between us" Serana said plainly as she crossed her arms. Arthius' smile faded as he stared at her.

"You mean-"

"Yes, I mean when you were a vampire" Serana nodded.

"Of course…but, we shall remain friends correct?" Arthius asked. Serana could list the many reasons why she didn't want to be friends with him at the moment. It's not that she hated Arthius, she just resented him slightly. It wasn't as though she wanted to, she was just too hurt by what he had said to be close to him again, even though her recent actions had said otherwise. Though she knew spending a small amount of time with him would wash away all of her resentment towards him. If Arthius was good at anything, it was to cheer her up. She put on a small smile and nodded at him, making Arthius smile back.

"Alright then, let's continue" Arthius said as he grabbed his sword from Serana and turned down the cave. Serana sighed before following. They barely took ten steps before two giant frostbite spiders jumped out at them. Arthius smirked as he charged one, dodging its webs. He faked left before leaping into the air and bringing his sword down through its skull. The other one was torn apart by spikes, not even getting a single shot. Arthius pulled his sword out of the spider as he grinned. Serana began to walk once more, getting an odd glance from Arthius.

"What, no comments?" Arthius asked with a smile. Serana looked back at him with a raised eyebrow.

"You seemed to be enjoying yourself, didn't want to ruin the moment" she said before turning back. Arthius shrugged with a smile before sheathing his sword. They continued following the stream until they reached an opening in the cave. They walked through the tunnel until they came across a small camp setup. It was deserted other than the dead bodies.

"I wonder what happened to them" Serana said as she approached. Arthius read a page that was nearby and handed it to Serana.

"Trolls" Arthius said plainly.

"These people were…why would anyone want to set up camp here?" Serana asked.

"Maybe they had their own reasons" Arthius spoke before turning back to the dead bodies. "Obviously they weren't good enough"

Arthius crossed his arms as he looked at the scene before him. He wasn't thinking of the people, but of something else entirely. He was thinking of the vampirism. He wasn't upset at Serana for the romance, but at the same time he wasn't torn up about it. He knew he didn't love her the next day, but he was thrown off a bit when he dreamed of her. He felt angry at the fact that he became a vampire, and almost vomited when he thought of the woman he fed from. He was literally the thing he hated, and was now simply shrugging it off for Serana's sake. The biggest question that repeatedly came to mind was "Why did I stay?" He remembered his answer previously, but after all of this, he questioned himself. He now forces himself on the belief that he needs to stop Harkon, but there's no reason for Serana to be there. It's best though, as she has nowhere else to go. He just wants all of this to be over. Go back to his normal life. Drink his ass off with Farkas, relax at home with Lydia, go hunt down bandits with Vilkas, go on a killing spree with Cicero whenever he needed to relieve some stress, and ravage Aela all through the night. But the way things are now, he won't even consider drinking with Farkas after seeing his true colors. Vilkas won't speak to him, Lydia will have questions, and Aela…well he can't stay away from Aela. "_And how could I when she has such a firm, round-"_

"Arthius" Serana spoke loudly, pulling Arthius from his thoughts. He looked at her surprised.

"I asked if you were ready to continue" she said a bit annoyed. Arthius quickly nodded before Serana turned and walked up the path. Arthius followed, feeling a bit morose after his thoughts. They walked down the cave until they saw a construct with what appeared to be an elf in ancient armor standing beside it.

"What's that? I can feel some sort of power coming from it" Serana said. Arthius looked at her with a raised eyebrow before shrugging.

"I'm not sure, but there's only one way to find out" he said as he walked forward.

"You mean, the easiest way to find out" Serana spoke.

"Exactly" Arthius replied, making Serana pinch her nose. The elf then noticed their presence as he was worshipping a shrine. Arthius assumed that it was the shrine of Auriel as the elf spoke.

"Come forward, you have nothing to fear here" the elf spoke. Serana scoffed slightly at his choice of words. Arthius smiled quickly before approaching the elf.

"I am Knight Paladin Gelebor. Welcome to the Great Chantry of Auri-El" the elf said professionally. His skin was white except for the pink covering the front part of his face. His hair was put upwards, leaving a clear view of his features. His eyes seemed kind yet at the same time cold, reminding Arthius of a thief.

"What is this place, a temple to Auriel?" Serana asked. The snow elf turned to her before replying.

"Auriel, Auri-El, Alkosh, Akatosh…so many different names for the sovereign of the snow elves" he spoke. Arthius' eyes widened as he heard this.

"So wait, you're a falmer?" Arthius asked. Serana kept her attention on Gelebor as she was just as curious.

"I prefer snow-elf. The name "Falmer" usually holds a negative meaning to most travelers. Those twisted creatures you call falmer, I call the betrayed"

"So, I'm assuming you know why we're here" Serana said, crossing her arms.

"Of course I do, you're here for Auriel's bow. I can help you get it, but first I must have your assistance"

"_Gods Damnit!"_ Arthius and Serana thought simultaneously. Gelebor then went on to explain the story of his brother, as Arthius and Serana listened patiently.

"What's a wayshrine?" Arthius asked. Gelebor simply turned around to the construct. He used some sort of spell, making it rise out of the ground to show that it's a passage way of some sort. Arthius and Serana watched, a bit surprised.

"So…this is snow elf magic, incredible" Serana spoke as she observed.

"This structure is known as a wayshrine. They were used for meditation and for transport when the Chantry was a place of enlightenment. Prelates of these shrines were charged with teaching the mantras of Auri-El to our initiates" Gelebor explained.

"What's that basin in the center signify?" Serana asked

"Once the initiate completed his mantras, he'd dip a ceremonial ewer in the basin at the wayshrine's center and proceed to the next wayshrine"

"So these initiates had to lug around a heavy pitcher of water. Marvelous" she said in an annoyed tone. Arthius smirked at her for a moment, making sure she saw it before he turned back to Gelebor.

"And how long would they have to do that?" Serana continued.

"Well, after the initiate's enlightenment was complete, he'd bring the ewer to the Chantry's inner sanctum. Pouring the contents of the ewer into the sacred basin of the Sanctum would allow him to enter for an audience with the Arch-Curate himself"

"All that just to end up dumping it out? Makes no sense to me" Arthius said, getting a nod of agreement from Serana.

"It's symbolic. I don't expect you to understand" Gelebor said, showing his elven arrogance.

"So, basically we have to do all that nonsense to get into the temple…then kill your brother…then claim the bow" Serana said with an annoyed tone. Arthius sighed as he played it over in his head, frustrated at the mass amount of hurdles.

"What did you expect? We just spend a day looking through a hazardous cave system and defeat its guardian to claim it? Of course not, we have to lug around a heavy ewer, go to some damn wayshrines and fill our ewer with the contents inside. Then travel through a wasteland filled with who knows what to enter a sanctum to fight an insane snow elf and whatever damn army he has. And THEN we get the bow!" Arthius said before breathing in heavily. He raised his hand apologetically at Gelebor as he turned away.

"If there were another way I'd have done it centuries ago" Gelebor said to Serana. She nodded, trying to keep her own frustration at bay.

"The first lay at the end of Darkfall Passage, a cavern that represents the absence of enlightenment" Gelebor continued.

"And how many wayshrines are there?" Serana asked.

"Five in total, spread out all across the chantry"

"So what, that's it?"

"Yes, once you've located a wayshrine, there will be a spectral prelate tending to it, they will allow you to draw the waters from the shrine's basin as if you've been enlightened" Gelebor said before handing Serana the ewer.

"Best we be on our way then" Serana said before turning to Arthius. She caught a glimpse of him before he stepped through the portal. Serana sighed as she quickly rushed into it after him, holding her breath slightly. She appeared on the other side in a cave. She saw Arthius rubbing his forehead, attempting to soothe his anger. Serana tried to take his mind off of whatever was bothering him with some common chatter.

"That…wasn't as unpleasant as I thought it would be. Kind of soothing, actually. I feel a bit warmer now" she said with a small smile. Arthius looked up at her before sighing and turning down the path. Serana followed, feeling a bit uncomfortable.

"You know, I feel as though he could have at least made his way through to the other wayshrines with all the free time he had" Serana teased. Arthius made a small nod as he continued. Serana thought as though she should try and help Arthius, but had no idea how to do so.

"Arthius, is something troubling you?" Serana asked, making Arthius stop. He turned slowly and Serana could see a small smile.

"No, but it made you forget that you're the one holding the ewer" Arthius said with a smile. Serana smiled awkwardly as he took it from her. She knew that wasn't the truth, that he had been pretending. But she simply let it go as she didn't want to bother him about it. As she was about to speak, an egg exploded to their left, revealing a chaurus fledgling. It looked like a praying mantis that was the size of a dog. It beat its wings rapidly making it appear to float. Arthius and Serana jumped back as it happened, unsheathing their weapons almost immediately. Serana shot a spike at it but it dodged to the right, sending the spike whizzing by. Arthius swung with his sword, making it fly upwards to avoid the blade. Serana used her drain life spell on it, weakening it. Arthius took this to his advantage, pulling out his crossbow and sending a bolt through its stomach. It fell to the ground with a thump as it began to bubble. Arthius' eyes widened as he turned to Serana and tackled her to the ground. The fledgling exploded into guts and ooze, splattering the walls. Serana violently shoved Arthius off of her before scowling at him.

"Did you use the rune bolts?!" Serana asked. Arthius laid on his back with a chuckle, smiling widely.

"Yeah, sorry about that" Arthius said as he stared up at the ceiling. Serana huffed as she rose, not lending Arthius a hand. Arthius rose as well, making sure to not step on one of the puddles of fledgling. The tunnel cave they went through continued to dip into small pools of water, annoying Serana. As they were passing through a pool, something reached out and grabbed Serana's ankle and pulled her. She yelped slightly before being pulled under the surface. She struggled as it held her down, grabbing her arms. She was suddenly let go and she kicked to the surface as fast as she could. She appeared out of the water, gasping for air. She looked around to see that Arthius was nowhere in sight. She quickly took one more mouth full of air before diving back in. She searched around the darkness to find Arthius struggling with a falmer. She took out her dagger and swam down behind the falmer. She stuck her blade in its neck, causing it to let go of Arthius as it died. She then grabbed Arthius and pulled him to the surface with her. They both gasped for air as Serana began paddling to the other end of the water. She dragged Arthius onto shore as they collapsed. They lied on their backs, gasping for air before Arthius spoke up.

"You know…that's the second time…this week…that I've almost drowned" Arthius said between intakes of air. Serana smiled as she began to breathe normally. Arthius slowly rose and held his hand out to Serana, making her raise an eyebrow as she took it. As she rose, Arthius side stepped and pulled harder, holding his foot out. Serana fell over Arthius but grabbed him by the hair, bringing him into the water with her. They surfaced, Arthius maintaining a large grin.

"Damnit Arthius" Serana said. Arthius laughed heartedly as Serana slowly made her way out of the water with a small grin. As they got out, they immediately heard movement and readied themselves. Two more falmer lunged from the darkness at them, clashing weapons with Serana and Arthius. Serana backed up slightly as the falmer she was fighting wasn't giving her any chances to strike as it swung at her. Arthius rammed his shield against his falmer and pinned it to the wall. It swung wildly as Arthius began smashing the falmer repeatedly. Arthius continued until the wall was covered with its blood. He turned to see the falmer swing once more, winded as it had no chance to rest. As it swung forward, Serana sidestepped, letting it fall over itself. It landed on the ground and Serana quickly crouched and stabbed it through the back of the skull. Arthius smirked at her, getting a raised eyebrow.

"I finished first" Arthius said with a smile.

"I'm sure that happens quite often" Serana said with a smirk back. Arthius was stunned by this as Serana walked past him. She patted the side of his face as she walked by, making Arthius blink. He watched as she turned the corner, unsure of what to say. He then heard her shriek and quickly rushed after her. He entered an opening in the cave, a large room with connecting tunnels. He looked left to see Serana trying to fend off two chaurus reapers. He rushed in and tackled one from the side, sending it into the other one. He quickly stabbed it through the stomach but it snapped up at him, unfazed. Arthius backed away, protecting himself and Serana with his shield.

"YOL TOOR SHUL" Arthius shouted at the creatures. They were engulfed in flame, and charged with their last breaths. Arthius held his ground firmly as they bashed into his shield, trying desperately to get him or Serana. They slowly stopped as the fire consumed them, and died. Arthius let himself fall unto his backside, completely winded by the attack. Serana crouched beside him as she looked at the dead chaurus reapers.

"Quick thinking" Serana said with a small nod. Arthius looked up at her with a raised eyebrow.

"What? You wanted a comment, so I gave you one" she said as she turned back to the burnt remains. Arthius chuckled as he placed his hand on Serana's shoulder for support as he rose. They looked around the room, observing the pink flowers that glowed brightly. They used them as a light source as they continued down their path. They turned a corner to be attacked by a falmer, to which Serana pelted with ice spikes as soon as it moved. Arthius grinned as he stepped over it, not minding her company so much. He was still concerned about the blood potions, but saw no trouble as they were going to be in dark caves the whole time anyways. They came across another opening, a huge room that appeared to be a falmer village. There were ramps that led upwards and a pen of chaurus reapers living beside them. There were several huts in the dark room with a large waterfall making a wall in the back of the village. Arthius and Serana smirked at each other before charging forward with their blades drawn. The falmer didn't notice them until two were pelted down with spikes and one was slit open by Arthius' blade. There were about nine in total, but Serana raised one making it three on nine. Arthius and Serana went back to back as the falmer circled them, Serana's zombie awaiting its attack.

"I feel as though we've been here before" Arthius said with a small growl in his tone, excited for the fight ahead.

"We might have, but I feel as though this will be more fun" Serana said with a grin. Arthius huffed as he decided he had waited enough, and pulled out his crossbow.

"Let's test that" he said as he quickly raised his crossbow and shot a falmer through the chest. Everything was muffled out by the screams and clang of metal with the additional sound of a whizzing ice spike. Arthius bashed a falmer in the face with his crossbow before pulling out his sword and parrying a strike. He then kicked his attacker in the stomach before ducking a swing and turning around to uppercut the falmer with his shield. A falmer attacked from his side, but he brought his sword up and held it there as the falmer pushed in with its mace. It got up close in Arthius' face, and Arthius smirked before spitting violently in the falmer's face, making it back away slightly. Arthius then lifted his blade and swung sideways, taking its head off. Serana side stepped, avoiding a slash before kicking the falmer hard in the face as it was bent over. She readied an ice spike as another charged her, making her change targets. She parried its sword, right before it was tackled by her zombie. They wrestled on the floor for a moment before Serana sent the spike into the other falmer. Her zombie rose and grabbed his sword, readying itself as another charged it. Serana turned to see an axe coming her way, intending to take her head off, making her duck out of the way. She then stabbed the falmer in the stomach before sending an ice spike through its chest. She heard her zombie shriek and turned to see it was killed by two falmer. She shot one through the skull as the other charged her. Arthius blocked a stab with his sword before kicking the other falmer in its chest. He then hit the attacking falmer in the side of the head with his shield, making it drop to its knee. Arthius looked back and parried a downward slash before bringing his blade back over to stab the fallen falmer through the back of its throat before turning back to the one he parried to quickly stab it through the stomach. He turned to Serana as she parried a sword before she ducked another. He charged in and bashed the falmer behind her with his shield, sending it to the floor. Serana quickly used an ice spike on the knee of the falmer in front of her. As it fell, she rose her dagger and stabbed it through the bottom of its jaw. She turned to see arthius place his boot of the falmer's chest as it struggled.

"Arthius, just kill it" Serana spoke, trying to act annoyed but having an eager grin on her face. Arthius smirked as he raised his blade and stabbed it completely through the skull. He pressed his boot to its chin as he yanked his sword from the falmer. He turned to Serana with a wide grin.

"Satisfied?" Serana asked.

"Yes" Arthius replied, making Serana snicker. They made their way through the camp, stopping so that arthius could work on his target practice with the penned chaurus'. They crossed a bridge that went through the water fall to another part of the cave. They came across a boulder blocking the tunnel with two levers beside it. Serana pulled one of the levers sending smaller boulders tumbling towards them. Arthius quickly grabbed her and pulled her to the side of the wall, holding her there while the stones passed.

"What was that for?" Serana asked once the rocks fell by.

"I was just…moving you out of the way" Arthius said with a shrug.

"Arthius, I can defend myself from inanimate objects" she said as she pulled the second lever. On the other side of the wall stood a saber tooth that was black as the night. It had two purple streams going down its back as it stood elegantly there, as Arthius stood in awe of it. Serana turned to be pounced on by the beast, shocked as she landed on her back. She put her hands up and pushed it away as it snapped at her.

"Arthius!" she shouted at him.

"You know, there's a thing to be said about irony here" Arthius said as he watched.

"ARTHIUS!" Serana screamed as it grabbed the scruff of her armor.

"RAAN MIR TAH" Arthius shouted. The saber tooth paused as Serana shoved it off of her. She readied her ice spike before Arthius jumped in front of her.

"Arthius, what are you doing?!" Serana questioned him.

"Serana, have you ever seen such a creature? Look at it, it must have been developing for thousands of years!" Arthius said as he turned to the sabre cat as it lay watching them. Serana raised an eyebrow at him as she crossed her arms.

"By the gods Arthius, what are you going to do? Keep it as a pet?" Serana asked sarcastically, making arthius grin widely at her.

"_Oh gods" _Serana thought to herself.

**And that would be the end of chapter 17. Hope you guys liked it.**

**I've been told that by you guys that the feelings seemed a bit rushed, so I'm trying to make them more realistic. I hope it showed in this chapter. I also put in Arthius and Serana's thoughts in as they weren't very clear in the last one. By the way, any ideas for the name of Arthius' new pet?**

**The best thing you guys can do to show your gratitude and support is to leave a review or ask me something in a PM, and I promise to respond to you as soon as I see it. It really means the world to me when I see that there's a new review.**

**Thanks for reading.**


	18. Troubling Thoughts

**Quick note: Hey guys, sorry for such the long delay between this chapter and the last. It's been a mix of writer's block, finals, and a lack of motivation. I'll do my best to get the next chapter out sooner as I have more time to do so next week. **

**Read on**

Serana leaned against the wall of the cave as she watched Arthius pet the beast. She sighed as she watched him pet it, a bit stressed at their lack of achievement. She was growing weary of this, and not just watching Arthius pet the sabre cat. She was growing weary of following Arthius through all of his distractions. All she had wanted to do was stop her father and yet, somehow Arthius had sent them both off course. It had started with the fighting, then the pointless traveling, then the damn romance, then all of the frustration after he had cured himself. Not to mention the idiotic hounds that continued to hunt them for reasons she still didn't understand. Most of all, she was tired of trying, trying to help Arthius with his rage. Trying to help Arthius with his loneliness, and just trying to be a friend to Arthius. He had caused her so much pin in the short time they've known each other than most have in her entire existence. But yet, no one else had given her so much happiness.

"_No"_ she thought to herself as she shook her head. "_Don't let that influence you again"_ she thought as she returned to her previous thoughts. She wasn't sure how she felt about Arthius exactly, but she knows that she's not happy to be with him. Maybe if the companions weren't chasing them, maybe if he weren't a vampire hunter, or if she wasn't a vampire…or maybe if he was still a vampire…

"_I love you Serana, and I always will"_ Serana shut her eyes tightly as the words went through her head. She felt pain rush through her as she tried not to think back to it, to any of it. She just wanted to forget it, yet she couldn't stop thinking about it. Why? Serana searched for the answer as Arthius began to approach her. She opened her eyes to see him walking over to her with a small smile. She sighed as he approached, putting off her thoughts for the moment.

"It's going to stay here, I figure I can pick it up once all of this is done and over" Arthius said with a nod. Serana simply nodded, not really caring about what he did with the creature so long as they can continue. They walked to the end of the tunnel to come across a large open area in the cave. The entire place had a bit of dark green as the light reflected off the water. There were paths that sort of went throughout it all, rising and falling. Arthius looked around the area, a bit immersed in it all. They began walking down the path until they came across a shaking plant. Serana reached out and touched it, making its leaves real back and a gas emit from its center. Serana immediately felt sick to her stomach as she felt Arthius pull her out of the smoke. She coughed heavily, dazed and unaware what was happening around her. She then realized she was on her back as Arthius was pouring a bit of water into her mouth. She drank slightly before coughing heavily again. She breathed deeply and slowly exhaled, remembering her mother's teachings. After a minute or so, Serana began to breathe normally again as Arthius removed the rag he had placed on her forehead.

"Do you need to rest?" Arthius asked a bit concerned. Serana shook her head as she began to sit up. "Damn poisonous plants, let's fill the ewer and get out of here" Arthius said as he took her hand and helped her up. Serana stood, a bit woozy still. As Arthius turned and began down the path again, Serana's mind went back to her previous thoughts. "_I want you to get cured"_ Serana huffed as she thought of her exact words. The words that led to so much pain and anger, or maybe it just woke them both up. Either way…they're making much more progress than usual. Serana pushed her thoughts aside as she settled on stopping her father to be the only thing she wanted to care about. They continued up the curving path, passing large glowing mushrooms and plenty more of the plants. As they walked, a group of deer rushed past them. Serana observed them, noticing they too were decorated in black. They then reached the top of the walkway, only to be ambushed by another sabre cat. It was waiting for them as it leaped on top of Arthius, sending him crashing to the floor. Serana chuckled as the previous scene was now in reverse, Arthius pinned down as she watched.

"Serana" Arthius said as he avoided the snapping jaws of the beast, making it bite down on his gauntlets.

"You know, Arthius, there's a thing to be said about irony here" Serana grinned at him. Arthius looked at her, shocked as she just stood there. He then became enraged as he punched the sabre cat roughly, knocking it to the ground. He quickly stood, unsheathed his sword, and sent it through the beast without hesitation. Serana sighed, knowing that she shouldn't have done that, especially after he had just saved her.

"Arthius-"Serana began. Arthius simply nodded as he sheathed his sword and continued to walk, Serana followed as she silently cursed to herself. "_You just saved her, and that is how she chooses to repay you?! You are a weak fool, strike her down where she stands!"_ Arthius froze in place as he heard the voice he has been dreading. She had been absent for so long, Arthius had hoped she had vanished. Ever since he had become a vampire, she was no longer present, making Arthius a bit worried about what would happen once he was cured. After hearing nothing after everything that had happened between him and the companions, he had assumed she had finally let him be. He was wrong, as the Nightmother had once again returned, attempting to corrupt him. He clenched his fists as he sighed, hoping that she would leave. Serana watched from a distance, unsure of what Arthius was doing. He then opened his eyes and continued walking as if nothing happened. She followed, not wanting to bother asking what was troubling him. They finally came across the first wayshrine, a spectral snow elf standing in front of it as they approached.

"Welcome, Initiate" the elf spoke. He was wearing simple robes and had his long hair loose, falling just below his shoulders. "This is the wayshrine of Illumination. Are you prepared to honor the mantras of Auri-el and fill your vessel with his enlightenment?" he asked.

"Yes" Arthius spoke as Serana stood behind him, inspecting the wayshrine.

"Then behold Auri-el's gift, my child. May it light your path as you seek tranquility within the Inner sanctum" he spoke. He then turned around, summoning a spell. He casted it on the wayshrine, making it rise out of the ground. Arthius and Serana watched, interested with its magic. Arthius then entered the wayshrine and filled the ewer with its contents. He shrugged as serana approached him.

"Well…that was a bit overdramatic" Serana said as she crossed her arms. Arthius looked into the portal in the wayshrine and nodded towards it. Serana sighed as she nodded, turning towards it as Arthius stepped through. She quickly took in a breath of air before following him. They appeared on the other side of the cave, much brighter than the one before. Arthius cursed aloud as he realized that it was day out, and they were close to the surface. There were still a few mushrooms surrounding the area as Arthius inspected their surroundings. He sighed as he heard Serana place her hood over her head, feeling the warmth of the sun. As they began walking, Arthius felt the need to strike up a conversation, knowing that Serana was feeling a bit lonely.

"You know, it's a bit ironic that were "helping" these priests" he said as they walked. Serana smiled as she followed him.

"To be honest, I doubt they even care what we do with Auriel's bow. They seem to be lost in the past. So as long as we can get this "Brother" out of the Sanctum, I think they'll be glad to just give it to us" Serana spoke.

"Well, we can hope for as much" Arthius replied. They walked until they came across another opening, making Arthius pause as he noticed that the path narrowed around the walls. If he wasn't paying attention, it would have been quite the fall. They walked up the path, circling the room as Arthius looked up. They were now outside, and he knew that it might be a problem for Serana. As they climbed out of the cave however, Arthius noticed that the sun was blocked out. He looked around, seeing that the land may have been even more of a tundra then skyrim. The entire place looked gray, and Serana stepped beside him as they observed.

"It's like a whole new world…" Serana said as she looked around. After a few moments, Arthius immediately felt the cold. He shook violently as the wind went through his armor. Serana glanced at him before speaking.

"Come one, the bow must be somewhere around here" she said as she began to go down the trail. Arthius shivered once more before following, wishing he had a hood. They were almost immediately attacked by a frost troll, making Arthius curse as he brought out his sword. It charged him as Serana shot ice spikes at him.

"Might want to change your strategy Serana" Arthius shouted as he lunged at it. He stabbed it through the center, only for it to swat him across the side. He recovered as he ripped his blade free, sending blood splattering across the snow. It stood there barely standing as Serana shot a lightning bolt into its chest, killing it.

"That works" Arthius grinned. Serana smiled as he continued to walk down the path. "_If only it were always like this"_ Serana thought as she watched him walking. They walked through the rocky valley, noticing that it was almost night. Serana smiled as she realized this, but also frowned as she thought of Arthius. There was a good chance that he was completely exhausted from the day and was hoping to set up camp.

"Arthius-"Serana began. He turned to her with a smile.

"I'm fine, I doubt there's much we can do anyways" he spoke. Serana was a bit surprised at his answer, but was completely grateful. They passed by a frozen pond and a few crumbling pillars until they reached a small hill. At the top stood a group of frostbite spiders, making Arthius grin. He charged forward and stabbed one through the skull, killing it instantly as another leaped at him. It was shot in midair by Serana who felt her strength rushing back to her. She charged forward with her dagger as another leapt. She shot a bolt into it, knocking it to the floor before stabbing it through the skull. She smiled at Arthius as he watched, a bit surprised at the scene before him. As they stared at one another until they heard a crunch in the snow. They turned to see a giant frostbite spider approaching them. They glanced at one another before charging forward, shouting as they brought their blades down. The spider didn't stand a chance as they both pulled their weapons out of its skull. They stood there in silence, savoring the victory. Arthius then began laughing, and Serana followed. They waked over the hill to see a large valley, with a beautiful frozen river following across the mountain side. Arthius and Serana looked around, lost in the scenery.

"This is the kind of thing I've been waiting to see" Serana spoke silently. Arthius didn't bother to look at her, knowing that she was just as lost in it as he was. "It makes almost everything else worth it" she continued. Arthius paused as he thought of this.

"_Almost…"_ he thought. They continued down the path to see that the river wasn't entirely frozen, surprising Arthius. He looked around and saw another wayshrine, making him grin as he rushed over to it. The spectral elf had his hair in a bun and nodded as he approached.

"You have reached the wayshrine of learning, Initiate. Are you prepared to honor the mantras of Auri-el and fill your vessel with his enlightenment?" he asked.

"Yes" Arthius spoke, a bit annoyed at the process. He zoned out as the elf spoke again, waiting for the wayshrine to just open already. He quickly rushed inside and filled the ewer with its contents before walking back to Serana who was waiting outside.

"Not as interesting as the first time, is it?" Serana asked.

"It's beginning to be damn annoying" Arthius said as he shook his head. Serana smiled as he passed her and turned to follow him back along the path. As they walked down the path, Arthius observed the lake. He slowly approached it and put his hand inside. He was shocked to find that the water was almost warm. It felt just the same as the water from Riverwood.

"Serana, feel this" Arthius said as Serana approached him. She sighed as he was once again distracted by something else. She placed her hand in the water, just as shocked to find its temperature so different than it should be.

"That's…odd" she said as she ran her hand through it. Before she could say anything else, Arthius began rushing away from the path, following the river. She sighed as she rushed after him. They followed it until it flowed into a cave. Arthius grinned as he approached it, making Serana call his attention.

"Be careful. If you fall down that thing I'm going to have to drag you out of…well…wherever it leads" Serana said as she crossed her arms. Arthius grinned as he grabbed her wrist.

"Let's find out" he said as he placed his foot in the water. He was shocked as it pulled him down, clutching Serana as he was pulled into the rapids.

"No!" Serana screamed as they were pulled into them. As they passed over the entrance, Arthius discovered that it was no simple cave, but a waterfall. Arthius pulled Serana into him as they both screamed as they fell. This was much worse than the rapids at the beginning of Dark fall cave. They landed in a heap of water, knocking the air from Arthius. He choked as he opened his mouth for air and began paddling to the surface, not releasing Serana for any reason. They reached the surface and coughed heavily as they gasped for air. Arthius saw that there was another fall approaching and he held Serana close to him as she stiffened. They went over the next fall and everything after that was a blur. Arthius was under water as he felt the rapids pushing him, knocking the wind out of him once more. He smashed into rocks and saw nothing but darkness. He opened his eyes to rushing water, trying with all of his strength to surface. He was then sent over another fall, sending him crashing to the water below. Arthius didn't know where he was for several minutes until he opened his eye to see that he had washed up on shore. He was in a deeper segment of the cave that lead to a small lake. Arthius guessed that he was washed up from the current from the splashing water. He could barely remember the events after he had stepped in the water, like as if it was a dream. It was at this point that he noticed that Serana was no longer in his grasp. He attempted to stand, but only collapsed back to the sand. As he attempted once more, he heard Serana's voice.

"I…knew…" Serana was barely able to speak with a mix of exhaustion and loss of air. Arthius looked up to see Serana collapsed above him. She was soaking wet and shivering heavily. Arthius regretted his actions, hoping it would help him cope with the unquestionable anger that would come from Serana. Serana lie there, tired, bruised, and angry. She then raised her leg and exhausted all of her energy into kicking Arthius in the face. His head sunk into the dirt, but did not attempt to strike back. Serana stared at the ceiling of the cave, inspecting the roots of the mushrooms above while she rested.

"I'm sorry" Arthius barely uttered the words. Serana huffed as she heard this, not because it annoyed her, but because she was irritated that she did. She had already forgiven him, like the many times before. "_Damnit! What is it with this idiot? There's been mortals before him, back before my family fell apart but with him…"_ Serana thought of their first interactions again_. "He wanted to kill me, I wanted nothing to do with him. Skip three days later, we're hugging and being each other's best friend. Skip a week later, we're romantically involved. Another week, I'm in his bed getting ready to…"_ Serana sighed at this. She tried to stand again but was only able to sit up. She was stuck to her thoughts, and she hated that. Arthius lie on his back, wondering how they were going to get out of the cave. He then realized that they were in the same cave as before, the one with the second wayshrine. He grinned as he slowly rose, getting Serana's attention. He noticed how much she was staring and raised an eyebrow at her, to which Serana motioned to her nose. Arthius put his hand to his face to see that Serana had made a large gash on his nose from the kick. He stared at his bloody hand before sighing. He shrugged at Serana and held out his hand to her. "_And of course, he forgives me as well"_ Serana thought as she reached for his hand. As she rose, she instantly felt the need to fall down again, but Arthius wrapped his arm around her midsection and her arm around his shoulder.

"What tired you out?" Arthius grunted as they slowly walked. Serana kept her eyes to the ground, avoiding looking at Arthius.

"Pulling you out of the water" she replied. Arthius mulled this over as they approached the wayshrine. He grinned widely as he saw that it lead to the other wayshrine as well, and they both went through. On the other side, they realized it was morning and Serana was already feeling weaker than before. Arthius felt this as her legs dragged and she wasn't able to keep her head up any longer. He gently placed her down and leaned her against a pillar inside of the wayshrine before lying down on the other side, hoping to sleep through the day. As Serana dozed off into slumber, she thought of the day they had. And she was happy to think that they might make it through the rest of their journey without incident.

"_You're not my brother…I've seen it, it will be you who…He's all I have"_ Arthius' eyes shot open as he awoke from the dream, only to find Serana sitting next to him covered in blood.

**Cliffhanger, sorry about that. That would be the end of chapter 18. Hope you guys enjoyed as I tried to write this chapter mainly to show Serana's inner struggles. This had been a lot different for me to write than other chapters so I'm hoping you guys enjoyed it.**

**As always, please be sure to leave a review or PM me if you have some critique. I always love speaking to my readers and just leaving a review makes my day.**

**Thanks for reading.**


	19. Facing the Cold

**Quick note, we just hit ten thousand views. I'd like to immensely thank everyone who has been reading so far, and to everyone that has added this story to their Favorite list or are following it. Anyways, read on.**

It was early evening as a small hint of light shined through the wayshrine. There was a heavy breeze outside, chilling any who were caught by it. The sky was now gray as night was fast approaching and the icy land would be shrouded in darkness for most of the day Arthius stared at Serana as she sat, leaning against the wall beside him. She had her hood on and was facing straight forward, only allowing Arthius to see the tip of her nose and lips. She was covered from head to toe in blood as she sat quietly. Arthius suddenly unfroze and went to her side, looking for her wounds. As he began to inspect her arm, Serana jerked it away.

"No, Arthius…it's not mine" she said slowly. Despite her best efforts, Arthius could tell that she was exhausted. "They came a bit after you fell asleep…you were tired so I handled them" she continued. Arthius could faintly see the crimson painted snow just outside of the wayshrine. He looked from a different angle to make out the foot of a falmer. He looked back to Serana, slowly pulling her hood down. Her face was bruised and covered in the blood of her enemies. She stared forward, avoiding looking at Arthius. "We should start going…we still have three more wayshrines" she said as Arthius sat beside her. He slowly wrapped his arm around her mid and pulled her into him. Serana opened her mouth to speak, but her head slowly found Arthius' shoulder. She fell asleep almost as soon as her head made contact, nuzzling into the soft fabric of his tunic. Arthius sat there as Serana slept, deep in thought of what's been troubling him recently. Not only the night mother, but the twins as well. He doesn't know how Isran will react but doesn't exactly care too much as long as he puts it aside and focuses on Harkon. Arthius also thought of what will happen when they fight Serana's father, mainly concerned with how Serana will handle herself. He then thought of Serana, and all the different thoughts she puts in his mind. "_What happens once this is all over?"_ Arthius looked down at Serana as she slept, staring at her while he was deep in thought. _"She's gone through so much in such a small time"_ Arthius thought to himself. He then thought back to when he first arrived I skyrim, after everything that had happened between then and now. _"Guess we share that as well"_ he thought. And then he thought of Alduin, their battle, and the result. It was such a huge battle, maybe the most important in all of Tamriel, and then it was over. Arthius was destined to fight Alduin, and then he did. That was that, nothing more, nothing less. He thought back to how his life slipped away, spending his days just drinking and occasionally hunting for food. But that was it, his life was at a standstill and he didn't know how to get out. "_And that's what's going to happen to her"_ he thought. "_Serana is strong, smart, and beautiful, but without purpose, what really matters?"_ Arthius thought of this for another hour before coming to his conclusion. He rested his head against the wall and dosed off to sleep with just one more thought. _"I promise"_

Arthius awoke a few hours later, finding that it was around midnight. He slowly placed Serana's head against the wall as he rose. He stepped out of the wayshrine to find about seven dead falmer, either impaled with ice, electrocuted, or throat slit. Arthius glanced back at Serana, jumping as he saw the two gold orbs staring back.

"Rest well?" Arthius asked. Serana slowly nodded at him before rising to her feet and walking out of the wayshrine. Arthius simply turned and began down the path once more, glancing at the river as he walked. "_She took them on by herself, quietly" _Arthius thought to himself as he turned to glance at her. She was still covered in blood but her armor made it blend in mostly. Her face was no longer bruised and Arthius guessed it was because of the rapid healing factors of a vampire. They passed between two crumbling columns as they continued down the trail, eyeing the waterfalls on the other side of the river. Serana was lost in thought once more. She had been awake a few minutes before Arthius had been. She remembers waking up, rested and warm all over to see that Arthius was basically clinging to her as she slept. She kept telling herself that it was for warmth, just as before. But she felt it building in her mind, with every excuse it continued. She was still unsure how she felt about Arthius, but all of these thoughts were making it more difficult to find out. She stared at the man ahead of her. She halted as he suddenly stopped walking. He slowly turned to her and put his finger up to his lips, signaling for her to stay quiet. He slowly motioned for her to follow him as he crossed the frozen river to the other side. Serana looked in the direction Arthius was looking in to see a large giant. Big for even a giants standards.

"Why are we –"Serana began.

"This may be a different species, and I really don't want to kill one of who knows how many there are. I'd like to leave it for now and bring some of the college here to preserve these creatures" Arthius said quickly. Serana was a bit surprised by his thoughts. The man who can probably take down a village on his own, thinking of such a scientific idea. Serana looked back at the beast as it stood near the shore under a few trees. It was more like a giant dressed like a frost troll. It appeared to have large horns sticking out of its head and a large jaw. It was covered from head to toe with white fur and was holding a typical giant's club. She stared at it as they climbed the small hill, soon losing sight of it. They climbed over the side of the hill to see a large frozen lake. Arthius and Serana stared as the ice sparkled in the moonlight. They saw a small stone structure out near the middle at the edge of the lake, and Arthius felt a power coming from it. He slowly walked on to the lake, Serana sighed before following him.

"What are we doing, Arthius?" she asked as they walked.

"I feel something from that stone over there, maybe a word wall" Arthius said as he pointed to the stone.

"It's just…we have had enough stops, and me sleeping didn't-"she was cut off as the ice beside them erupted, sending them back. Arthius opened his eyes to see a dragon emerging from the ice. He quickly stood and stared at it as the ice beneath them broke away. They fell into the water, feeling the immense cold. This was nothing like the water from the river, it felt as though it took the cold from the river and added it to its own. Arthius felt completely frozen, every being of him in pain any time he had tried to move. He slowly opened his eyes to see the beast in front of them, swimming quickly towards them. Arthius' eyes shot open as he suddenly was able to move once more. He grabbed Serana's wrist and looked up at the opening in the ice.

"WULD" Arthius shouted, sending them upwards and out of the water. They crashed onto the ice, completely drained from the cold of the ice. Arthius slowly stood and helped Serana to her feet. She slowly stood as the other dragon emerged in front of them. Both dragons began to circle above them, eyeing their prey. Arthius quickly grabbed Serana by the waist and dove out of the way as the dragons dove into the ice they were standing on. As they lied there, Arthius thought back to some of his readings about how horkers would attack their prey on the ice. Arthius' eyes shot open as he grabbed Serana and jerked her up. He pulled her as he began sprinting as the ice began to break. Arthius charged forward, holding Serana the whole time. They ran as the ice behind them broke continuously as one of the dragons swam beneath the ice. Arthius saw a shadow in front of them beneath the ice, he grabbed Serana by her mid once more and leapt to the side as the dragons shot out from the ice. Arthius and Serana landed in a heap, freezing cold. Arthius eyed the dragons as they floated in front of them, preparing to breathe fire at their enemies. Arthius quickly rolled upwards, pulling out his crossbow. He quickly aimed his crossbow at one of them as it opened its mouth. He shot the explosive bolt into its mouth, making it explode in its throat. It made a small sound before crashing to the ice below. The other dragon roared fire as Arthius quickly pulled Serana to him and held his shield in front of them. He felt the flames against his shield as his shield's ward weakened. The flames died just before he dropped his shield. The dragon landed in front of them, charging towards them. Arthius stood and threw his shield aside as he leapt upon the dragon's head. It squirmed violently as Arthius began stabbing its head. It threw him off as it was shot with several ice spikes. Arthius landed a bit to its left as Serana rushed to his side. She continued to pelt it with ice spikes as Arthius charged forward. The dragon quickly shot its head forward, smashing into Arthius and sending him back as it began readied to breathe fire. Arthius recovered as he charged forward and stabbed down on the top of its snout, make it close its mouth. As he did this, Arthius heard a sound behind them and turned to see the first dragon preparing to breathe fire at both he and Serana, "_Gods"_ he thought to himself. They were standing in the middle of two dragons readying to breathe fire. Arthius acted on instinct as he rushed to Serana and shoved her violently into the water. As soon as he pushed her, Arthius was engulfed in flame from both of the beasts. Serana watched in horror as she fell, watching as Arthius was engulfed in the flame of both dragons. She crashed into the freezing waters once more, feeling nothing. She was frozen as she replayed what had just happened in her mind, seeing her closest friend be doused in fire. And it was because he had to save her again. _"Was I just lying to myself this whole time? Am I just another weakling needing saving?_" Serana thought as she sank in the water. _"Time after time, Arthius had saved me at his own expense, caring for nothing but my safety. And every time he does, he's hurt in some way. The castle, the bandits, the companions, and …him turning into a vampire. And now…he's probably dead"_ Serana went numb as she thought of this. Serana felt the cold take over,she thought of Arthius as the darkness began to overtake her. She thought of every smile she had gotten from him, and every smile he forced from her. Every moment, every joke, every story. She suddenly thought of what he wanted, to protect her. Her eyes shot open as this thought ran through her mind._ "He gave everything to make sure I survived, and I'm giving up. No!"_ she grew enraged at this. That she was letting herself die after he had saved her. That she would let him die, that she just let it run through her. Her eyes glowed fiercely as she cursed herself for thinking of herself like that. She stared up at the water above her as she began paddling. _"If there's any chance that Arthius is alive, by the gods I'm going to take it!" _she thought. The dragons eyed the opening, injured but in guard. There was a crashing sound as something quickly emerged from the water, making them prepare. They both roared fire at the opening, attempting to roast whatever came out. As the fire faded away, a vampire lord was floating above the water. It roared and began pelting the bleeding dragon with ice spikes. The dragon roared as it crumbled as the ice spikes sunk deep into him. The other dragon readied its thu'um as the vampire lord immediately began draining it of its life source. The dragon collapsed, overcome by the weakness. The vampire lord continued to drain it until it too collapsed from weakness. It lay on the ice as it was shrouded in darkness, covering every fiber of its being. As the darkness faded, Serana lay in its place. She lied there face down, unable to move as she stared into the ice. The sun would be rising soon, and she knew that she'd probably die if she stayed like this. She very slowly got unto her hands and knees and surveyed the area. Her eyes shot open as she saw Arthius lying on the ice. She calmly walked to him, kneeling beside him. She put her hand to the side of his neck, waiting for a pulse. She waited for a few seconds until she felt it, weak but still there. She carefully grabbed Arthius and slowly began carrying him towards the stone structure. She couldn't take two steps without collapsing from weakness. It took them almost half an hour to move about thirty feet to the structure. Serana collapsed at the foot of the stone and set Arthius down beside her. She could barely breathe as the cold overtook her, making her shake violently without control. She slowly turned Arthius to his stomach and removed his armor. She winced as she saw his burnt flesh under his armor. She assumed he covered his head when the dragons breathed fire at him, protecting his more vital area. She took in a deep breath, still shaking uncontrollably before using all of her strength into a powerful healing spell. She felt every nerve of her screaming in pain but did not stop her spell. She almost blacked out several times as she did not stop for anything. Arthius was mostly healed now, the skin covering his flesh before it would leave a scar. Serana knelt, smiling widely as her body was now having spasms. She turned Arthius over to his back and put her palm to his chest. She immediately collapsed on to Arthius, losing consciousness as she landed on his chest.

Serana awoke, darkness beginning to cover the sky. They had been asleep almost a full day. She looked up at Arthius and gasped as his eyes were open, staring at the sky. Serana rose and began pumping his chest, getting a grunt from Arthius. Serana jumped back as she heard this, fearing that he was dead. He blinked before looking to her, weakly smiling.

"I'm fine" he whispered. Serana knelt there, frozen in place. She then grew furious and slapped Arthius across the face as hard as she could.

"How dare you throw your own life away! You almost died, Arthius!" She screamed at him. Arthius just stared back at her, not attempting to stop her as she slapped him again. She sighed as she stared down at him and wrapped her arm around him, pulling him into a tight hug. She rested her head on his chest, feeling the immense warmth as she listened to the almost entrancing sound of his heartbeat.

"Just…please, don't die" she softly said. Arthius wrapped his arms around her and tightly held her to him, unsure what to think of it. Serana still didn't know exactly how she felt towards Arthius, but she knew that she couldn't lose him, as he meant far too much to her than she thought. As they lied there, Serana felt Arthius' stomach rumble and looked up to see Arthius's face clench.

"Arthius, when was the last time you ate something?" Serana asked.

"On our way to dark fall cave" Arthius said with a sigh. Serana's eyes shot open as she realized that was about three days ago. Arthius began to slowly rise and Serana forced him back down.

"Serana, I can just hunt something to-"Arthius began.

"No, you're still far too weak. Just wait here, I'll get you something" Serana said as she quickly rose and went down the steps.

"You're not in good shape, we'll find something…" Arthius' voice faded out as Serana rushed forward towards the woods. She slowly passed by the frost giant as she began searching the tree line for a deer or goat or…something. About an hour later, Serana spotted a deer and shot a bolt through it without hesitation. She slowly dragged it back to Arthius and collapsed beside him once more.

"I…got you a deer…I was thinking…maybe gather some wood and-"

"YOL" Arthius shouted at the deer, immediately roasting it. Serana winced at the heat, and Arthius noticed.

"I'm sorry, that was stupid" Arthius apologized.

"No…it's freezing out here…it helped warm me up" Serana panted with a small smile. Arthius nodded before pulling the deer close to him. He turned to Serana as she stared at him.

"Serana, when was the last time "you" ate?" Arthius asked. Serana gulped as she feared what would follow her answer.

"The…bottle you gave me" Serana said slowly. Arthius looked at the deer before looking back at Serana.

"Once I eat this, I will have more energy. Energy that came from the deer you caught…" Arthius stared at Serana then, staring into her eyes.

"This energy belongs to you, so once I finish eating and gain it…I want you to feed from me"

**And that would be the end of chapter 19. Some of my readers demand romance and…well I like to stay to my ideas. I really hope you guys liked that dragon fight as much as I did, had a lot of fun writing it. **

**I'm still looking for a name for the sabre cat if you have an idea. The candidates so far are Skulltaker, Gnaw, and Arthius ll. If you have an idea, please let me know in a review as there's still a while to go before it is decided.**

**Please leave a review of what you thought or PM me for critique or if you have a question. I will get back to you as soon as possible as I love speaking to my viewers and it really makes my day when I see a new review.**

**Thanks for reading.**


	20. Decisions

**Quick note: FINALLY, CHAPTER 20 IS HERE. I'd like to thank everyone who waited this far. This has been a long time coming and I'd just like to say how grateful I am to all of you. Your reviews and messages are what really keep me going. SO, without any more delay…**

**READ ON**

Serana stared at Arthius as if he had something growing out of his head. She played his words over again in her head, making sure she had heard him correctly. "_Feed from me…"_ she snapped out of it as the words echoed once more.

"No" Serana simply said.

"Serana, you have no energy and I'm pretty sure you'll just end up pouncing on me within the hour so just do it" Arthius replied with a bit of annoyance in his tone. Serana stared Arthius down for a moment before replying.

"I've held out this far, I can continue" she said firmly. Arthius sighed as he looked down at the deer. Its jaw hung slack as it stared away from the two of them. He simply reached over and pulled out Serana's dagger from it's sheathe and put the blade to his exposed fore-arm, shivering at the cold. Serana's eyes shot open as she watched Arthius put the dagger to his arm, terrified of what might come next.

"Arthius-"Serana said as she began to move towards him.

"I'm giving you permission, Serana. It's okay" Arthius said as he inhaled.

"Arthius!" Serana screamed. Arthius flinched as he was about to slit his arm and stared at Serana.

"Damnit, Serana, just do it! There's nothing wrong with it, and we both know you need to-"

"It's not about that, Arthius!" Serana shouted.

"Then what is it about?!" Arthius yelled back. Arthius couldn't believe that Serana was putting up this much resistance. He knew it wasn't easy, but they had no other choice at the moment. Serana clenched her fists as they stared at each other, trying not to let her anger overwhelm her. She sighed as she closed her eyes, trying to fix the words together in her head. She had never wanted to speak of something like this, especially now. She slowly opened her eyes to look up at Arthius while he sat patiently with his arms crossed. She sighed once more before continuing.

"Arthius, do you remember the first night we met?" Serana asked blankly. Arthius knew what she was speaking of, how she stood over him, contemplating whether to feed from him or not. He remembered pinning her to the ground, and watching her be taken over by sorrow. He knew this because he experienced the same with Aela. He truly felt like a monster, something less than dirt. He shifted a bit, his armor clinking slightly as he did. He stared at Serana for a brief moment before speaking.

"This isn't like that, Serana, I'm telling you that-"Arthius began as Serana cut him off.

"Whenever we sleep at a camp, I wake up most nights standing over you with my fangs bared" Serana said without tone. The breeze blew slightly, making the wind whistle. It was silent as it was Arthius' turn to stare, unsure of what to say. She sat there, head down as he stared at the frozen ground. They sat in silence, the snowflakes covering them slowly.

"_She…what?"_ Arthius thought. Serana closed her eyes once more, letting the words stay in the air as she tried to continue, only getting so far as to opening her mouth. She knew this would come out eventually but never wanted it to happen like this. They were getting along so well, and now this may turn it all around once more. She knew he wouldn't react well to this, but it was too late to go back now. She slowly opened her eyes and forced a few words out.

"I don't know how I got there, it-"Serana paused, sighing before speaking. "Probably just instincts" Serana said as she stared at the ground. She raised her glance to meet Arthius as she finally caught herself, her eyes shining through her darkened face as her hood covered her.

Arthius sat there, unsure of what to think of it. "_It's not her fault…but then, whose fault is it? Should it even matter, since nothing ever happened or…"_ Arthius thoughts were cut off as Serana's voice filled the air.

"But every time I did, I stopped myself. I stopped myself from giving in, from doing what came natural…from feeding from you" she paused as she stared into Arthius' eyes. Serana never broke her glance as she continued, feeling stronger.

"And now, you're telling me to discard all of that, all of it. To give in to what I had fought against for so long-"Serana paused as she grew irritated.

"Serana, I'm not-"Arthius began. She huffed as she shot her eyes back to the ground momentarily before meeting his gaze once more. Arthius could tell that she was in no mood to argue as she slowly continued.

"Well the answer is no, Arthius, and there's nothing you can say to convince me otherwise. As long as there's any other option, I will not feed from you" Serana said in a cold tone, making sure not to break eye contact as she glared at him.

"Now, shut up and eat your fucking deer" She said before slowly rising and walking away from Arthius, in need of some solitude for the time being.

Arthius sat there, listening to the soft crunch of snow fade as Serana walked away. The wind blew slightly once more, sending a small chill down Arthius' spine. He closed his eyes as he tried to calm himself, to not do anything stupid. It was then that he froze as a thought came to his head, one that he had been pushing away for some time. He didn't know why, but his mind was flooded with the memories he had with Serana. The journeys, the talks, and the night at his home. His face was blank as all these memories invaded his thoughts. He just stared forward in the cold as the wind blew, shrouded in the gray sky as he simply stared. He slowly exhaled, bringing him back to reality as he grabbed his sword.

"_Why now? Of all the times, why now?_" He thought to himself as he began to cut off pieces of the deer and shove them into his mouth, wincing at the burnt taste.

Serana leaned against a frozen stone wall, feeling anything but okay. _"Arthius just offered me his own blood, his life essence, to help me, and I treated him like as if he was some drunk bastard trying to have his way with me. It couldn't have been easy for him to even offer, and yet, that was how he was treated for it"_ Serana sighed as she let her head fall back and smack into the stone._ "But it was the right thing to do, I suppose, as I can't let myself do something like that. Especially after…last time"_ Serana sighed as she pushed the thoughts out of her mind. She stared into the mist as she contemplated her thoughts once more before slowly rising to her feet. "_I've wasted enough time. We have to continue before the sun rises"_

The deer's upper half had basically vanished by the time she arrived, only the head having signs of flesh. Serana Cautiously stepped forward, unsure if Arthius would snap at her or not for the way she spoke to him. Arthius sat there, leaning against the stone wall as he stared forward into the mist. She eyed him for a moment, pondering if he had even seen her. She simply sighed before crossing her arms and looking to the floor, awaiting Arthius. She waited for a few moments until she heard a soft crunching in the snow and looked up to see Arthius slowly standing. She simply turned away and began walking towards the path, assuming Arthius would be able to follow. Arthius watched her for a moment, both irritated towards her and sorrowful at his own actions. He simply huffed before following her through the snow, grabbing his shield as he went along, immediately feeling more pressure on him than before from the weight he carried.

Serana made sure to walk a few paces ahead of Arthius, keeping quiet the entire time they walked. Arthius listened to the soft crunching of the snow as he stared into the back of Serana's head, a look of exhaustion on his face. "_Damnit, it's not like she's going to be the first to speak so it may as well be me"_ Arthius thought bitterly, only he was unsure of what he wanted to say. He felt both the need to apologize and to scorn her, leaving him with little to say.

"Serana…" Arthius began, hoping that something would suddenly come from it.

"I'm not angry at you, Arthius. I just…" Serana spoke gently.

"You just don't want to talk" Arthius said with a sigh. Serana twitched slightly at Arthius' words, annoyed yet blissful at how Arthius knew her. "But I do"

Serana sighed as Arthius said this, hoping to end this conversation quickly. "Please understand that what you asked isn't something someone can look over so easily. It's…degrading, having to feed from others. And to have a friend try and force you to do something you're not proud of, just like that…just try and imagine that if you were starving and we had nothing, that I'd try and force you to eat me" Serana said, hoping that that would keep Arthius quiet for the time being. Arthius smiled as he heard Serana's words before speaking up.

"Well you did make me dinner so…" Arthius grinned. Serana thought about it for a moment until she realized what Arthius was referring to, making her blush slightly. Serana snickered loudly, retaining herself from laughing as she tried to keep serious. Arthius smiled as he heard her, not receiving the reaction he was hoping for, but glad that it wasn't just disregarded.

Serana scolded herself for laughing when she was still upset towards Arthius. She thought of how she could somehow not stay angry at him, even if she wanted to most times. "_Then again, I can't really blame myself since I'd have no one if not him" _she sighed as she thought this, slightly looking over her shoulder at Arthius observing something in the distance. She turned back forward for a few moments before coming to a complete halt. She suddenly felt impact behind her as Arthius had walked straight into her, distracted by something else. She smirked as she thought back to when she rushed through the portal after Arthius and crashed into him on the other side. She turned to see Arthius sitting on the ground staring up at her. She crossed her arms as she looked down at him, considering even kicking him in the face just for the sake of it.

"Arthius…why did you offer me your blood?" Serana asked as she tilted her head to the side. Arthius stared up at her, unsure of what to say.

"Why did-"Arthius began.

"It's a simple enough question, I just want to know why you offered me your blood" Serana spoke. Arthius pondered this for a few moments, unsure if it was some sort of trick.

"Because…" Arthius began. Serana immediately rolled her eyes, turning back forward.

"Never mind, let's just continue shall we?" Serana said with a huff. She was hoping for a straight forward answer, as if he had been prepared to tell her. Instead, he was as unsure as she was. Arthius raised an eyebrow as he stood, watching Serana continue up the path.

"_What in oblivion is her damn problem? I understand that it wasn't right to try and force her, but cut me a damn break" _Arthius thought stubbornly. He looked ahead to see the next wayshrine, the usual with broken columns and a spectral snow elf guarding it. It watched as they slowly approached before greeting them.

"You've arrived at the Wayshrine of Reso-"It began.

"Yes, thank you, please open the wayshrine or whatever it is that you do so that we can continue" Serana said in a pushy tone. The elf did not reply but simply raised the wayshrine from the ground. Serana crossed her arms and nodded towards Arthius, waiting for him to fill the ewer. Arthius sighed as he stepped forward. By the time he finished, Serana was already ahead of him up the path. He clenched his fist and huffed before trotting up the path to catch up to her, feeling pain in his side as he did. His armor clinked heavily and he was now wishing he had brought some leather or fur armor, just while they walked. The path lead into a small rocky pathway acting as a bridge over a small gap between the rocks. Serana gave it no attention as she simply walked across. Arthius stepped slowly, avoiding the icy bits as best he could. As he neared the end, his steel boot slipped from under him and sent him crashing unto his back. He winced as he landed, forcing a small groan to leave his mouth.

"Damnit Arthius, be careful. I'd rather not walk back to all the other wayshrines because you spilled the ewer" Serana scolded him. Arthius sat up and scowled at her, outraged at her consideration of the ewer's well-being before his.

"Then why don't you carry the damn thing. I'm already held down enough carrying this armor, after being burnt alive may I add. Besides, all you're carrying is that damn elven dagger!" Arthius scolded back. Serana stared at him momentarily, face blank before slowly opening her mouth to respond.

"It's ebony" Serana simply said. Arthius raised his eyebrow for a moment before his mind raced back to when she obtained the ebony dagger. It was a gift to her from him, another reminder of the false love they once shared, and their "Happiest" memories. Serana simply walked over and grabbed the ewer from Arthius' pouch. He simply sat there and watched her as she retrieved it, avoiding eye contact the entire time. He slowly raised his hand and grabbed her wrist. Serana paused as he did this, her breath ceasing. She slowly looked up to meet Arthius' gaze and stared at him.

"I offered you my blood because I don't want anything to happen to you" Arthius said. Serana stared for a few more moments before slowly nodding. Arthius released her wrist and she rose and turned back to the path. Arthius eyed her for a few moments before rising off the ground and following her. Serana walked forward as a small sad grin stuck itself on her face, feeling a bit more at peace after what Arthius had said. They turned left and walked along the Cliffside, immediately noticing constructed bridges, connecting the Cliffside. It was a maze of bridges with famer houses along the cliffs. Arthius smirked as he saw this, imagining the battle that was bound to happen. He immediately called for Serana, putting his finger up to his mouth. She nodded slowly as he walked past her and put his hand on her shoulder, pushing it down slightly. He pointed downwards, signaling for her to stay there. She hesitated but slowly nodded, entrusting Arthius to be successful. Arthius nodded back before crouching down and pulling out his sword as he continued. He slowly approached a small house, making sure there were no falmers inside before he turned and walked up the mountain path. He slowly made it to the top, eyeing a falmer on the bridge leading to the next mountain side. Serana looked up at the falmer on the bridge above her, keeping out of its sight. Before she could react, Arthius was behind it, slitting its throat and shoving it over the side of the bridge. He waved his hand to himself, motioning for her to follow. She nodded and began to walk up to him, almost sure that she saw a smirk on his face. She was soon at the bridge, once again being told to stay where she was. Arthius slowly took his crossbow out and aimed it at one of the cliff sides. Serana eyed the area, noticing nothing but the rocky side of the mountain. Arthius shot the bolt at the mountain side, receiving a small shriek from a falmer that was almost impossible to spot even if you knew where to look. It stumbled forward and over the mountain side, falling to its death. Serana was a bit surprised as Arthius continued down the path, nodding to her once more. He held out his loaded crossbow to her, taking his sword out. Serana carefully took his crossbow, holding it to the ground. Arthius slowly walked around a bend and Serana watched him rush forward behind the rocks, followed by a gag. She walked around the bend to see him remove his blade from a falmer's throat and look at her, holding his hand out. She walked over to him and placed the crossbow in his hands. He then held her hands to the crossbow with one hand and the trigger with the other. He turned the crossbow upwards and pulled the trigger, sending the bolt through a small slit in the bridge above them. There was a small shriek and a creaking from the boards before a falmer fell from the bridge and landed in front of them. Serana stared at the falmer as blood oozed from its wound and back to her hands being held onto the crossbow. She looked up at Arthius, being met with his cocky smirk.

"If you're trying to impress me, you've made a decent effort" She said, giving him a small smile. Arthius smiled genuinely as he released her hands and continued up the pathway, crouching silently as he walked. Serana watched as he continued, suddenly pausing before raising his head and staring across the ravine at a location Serana couldn't see from her angle. He loaded his crossbow, aimed, and fired, being greeted by another shriek from a falmer. Serana chuckled at this, finding it amusing how easily he is dispatching the creatures. She slowly followed him to the end of the path as it sloped back down the rocky bridge to the floor once more. They looked ahead to see a small cave opening underneath a frozen waterfall, guarded by two more falmer. Serana smiled to Arthius as he raised his crossbow, raising her hand and pushing the end to the floor. Arthius looked over to Serana with a raised eyebrow to see her grinning at the falmer. She simply strode forwards, summoning two ice spikes in each hand and launching them at the two. The falmer were struck through the chests, killing them before they had the chance to react. Serana simply continued walking forward, smirking slightly.

"Thought I should take the lead" Serana said back to Arthius as she approached the entrance. Arthius smiled after her, his eyes once again wandering to a certain area. "_No complaints on my end"_ he heard a voice say in his head. He sighed as he looked up and began to stride after her.

As they entered the opening, they found themselves in a small tunnel that was filled with water. It deepened until they were forced to swim in the icy water until they climbed onto solid ice. They were now in a large icy cave, a river flowing through it. As Arthius looked up the Cliffside that was over the water, he saw a frost troll being attacked by two falmer. It barely swung at them before it was struck down.

"Poor thing. I mean, I know it would have tried to kill us and all but, still…" Serana whispered as she watched behind Arthius. He discreetly rolled his eyes at this before taking out his crossbow and aiming at the one closest to them. One of them was perched at the edge of the cliff as the other inspected the troll. Arthius pulled the trigger as Serana shot an ice spike. The closer falmer took a bolt through the head as the other was shot in the chest, making a small squeal before falling over the Cliffside into the icy waters. Arthius smirked as he put away his crossbow as Serana began walking ahead of him.

"So, you have a thing for trolls now do you?" Arthius asked. Serana turned her head slightly as she walked.

"You're one to talk" Serana said. Arthius raised his eyebrow at her for a moment before responding,

"How so?"

"Well, considering how you tend to bed Aela…" Serana said with a smirk. Arthius laughed as Serana joined in. They both stopped as they heard a small growl from up the cliff. Serana immediately crouched down as an arrow flew above her head. Arthius pulled out his sword and shield and immediately charged forward, blocking arrows as they were shot at him. There were two falmer on a higher ridge in a camp, shooting down at the two as Arthius followed the path that lead to them. He suddenly paused as he looked at the bridge to cross. It was in pieces as it sloped downwards and back up in a crooked position. Arthius sighed before quickly but carefully stepping across to meet the falmer. As he approached one was shot in the chest with an ice spike, catching the other off guard. Arthius quickly slashed downward, cutting a deep gash in the falmer's neck side. It gagged for a moment before dropping dead at Arthius' feet. As Serana walked to Arthius, she paused at the bridge, staring at the weak construction.

"Not great at making bridges, are they?" Serana asked with an eyebrow raised. Arthius shrugged as he had out his hand to help Serana across

"What do you expect from such a simple minded race?" Arthius said as he pulled her across. They continued through the camp and into a small tunnel that lead into a larger section of the cave. As they stepped out of it, Serana heard a small creaking noise before she was grabbed and pulled back. Two large claw like constructs sprang from the sides of the tunnel, smashing into the walls. Serana was frozen for a brief moment before speaking.

"Guess they're better at making traps than bridges" Serana said as Arthius held her.

"It would appear so" Arthius said. Serana noticed how Arthius was holding her and looked up to see that he wasn't giving it any thought, just inspecting the construct as he let her go. Serana raised an eyebrow as she walked him walk ahead, wondering if he had even noticed it, or cared.

"_Why should he care? And wait- why do I care?"_ Serana put a hand to her forehead as she winced at the thought. She sighed heavily as she glanced up at Arthius as he continued walking along the path. Serana let her shoulders sink as she trudged forward after Arthius. She watched as he took out a scroll and aimed it at a small group of falmer. They turned towards him with a screech as a large inferno engulfed them followed by a large wave of fire from Arthius' shout. Serana raised an eyebrow at him as he turned to her.

"Well…that was simple" Serana said. Arthius gave her an unamused look as he sighed.

"I'm just a bit tired of the run around with these simple creatures. The fewer of them the better" Arthius said as he crossed his arms. Serana smirked at him as she continued down the path, playfully slapping him as she passed. Arthius chuckled as she walked by, a thought racing through his mind.

"Serana" Arthius called for her. Serana quickly turned towards him, expecting to see more falmer. Arthius sighed as he ran his hand through his hair, closing his eyes as his head went back. He then looked back to Serana who had a questioning look on her face.

"So… are we good? I mean…do you forgive me for...you know" Arthius asked. Serana's face went from questioning to almost a smile. She sighed as she thought the question over in her head, expressing a more serious look. She crossed her arms as she mulled over her thoughts.

"There's not much to forgive, Arthius. I mean…it's not really your fault. I suppose it was more like you trying to make me do something I don't want to do…but really should. It's behind us now so there's no reason for me to forgive you" Serana said with a small smile. Arthius kept his expression as he look at her. Serana sighed as she realized what he was doing.

"Yes, we are good" Serana said with an annoyed expression. Arthius chuckled as he nodded at her.

"Alright, well then let's continue" Arthius said as he continued down the path towards the exit of the cave. Once they exited the cave, they immediately spotted another wayshrine. Arthius smiled as Serana sighed in relief. Arthius watched as she walked forward, completely ignoring the elf as he greeted her with the usual nonsense. Arthius smiled as Serana walked back to him after filling the ewer, rolling her eyes at the elves words. They continued down the path until they reached a large royal bridge. Arthius and Serana gazed at the large castle on the other side of the bridge. It was a large castle covered in ice. The front of it had an archway above it as well as a statue of some sort in front of the stairway that lead into the main doors.

"That…has to be the place. I've never seen a building like that before" Serana said as they approached the bridge.

"It doesn't even look real, ya know?" she said, turning to Arthius. Serana raised an eyebrow as she saw a stunned look on Arthius' face.

"Arthius, are you alright?" Serana said as she stared at the frozen face of Arthius. Arthius' eyes quickly glanced at Serana, slowly parting his lips.

"Serana…how many wayshrines did we stop at?" Arthius asked with a nervous smile. Serana raised an eyebrow at him before suddenly pausing. They stood there in silence, frozen in their own tracks as they stared back at one another. Serana's arms slowly raised up to her head and pulled her hood even lower over her face. She then slowly placed her palm on her forehead before replying.

"Four" she said in a whisper.

"_Gods Damnit" _Serana thought to herself.

Arthius crossed his arms with a grin as he slowly walked over to a railing of the bridge. He glanced back at Serana and chuckled as he saw her there. He then slowly turned back to the railing, glancing out over the edge into the chasm below. He then took in a deep breath, clearing his mind and smiling widely as he did.

"GODS FUCKING DAMNIT!" Arthius shouted with as much force he could muster. After a day of travelling with a small bit of arguments thrown into the mix, Arthius and Serana approached the castle as they walked on the bridge.

"…and of course it had to be all the way back at the beginning of the vale, and yet we somehow missed it" Serana continued as they crossed the bridge.

"Like I said, it's not as if we had any idea where these things were. I'm actually surprised we only missed one" Arthius shrugged as they approached the arch. Serana sighed, closing her eyes as she walked with her arms crossed.

"You don't seem to be as upset as you were when we found out" She said dully. Arthius sighed as they climbed the steps leading to the entrance.

"I suppose I'm just out of energy. I mean, not physically anyways" Arthius said as they passed through the archway, leading into a small courtyard with a large statue in the middle with two flights of stairs to its sides leading into the sanctum.

"So, know anything about this statue?" Arthius asked as they approached it.

"Well, according to what I've read, it's supposed to-"Serana paused as she glanced at Arthius' expression.

"You don't even care, do you?" Serana asked, a bit annoyed. Arthius glanced over at her slowly.

"Not in the slightest. Let's just pour the water, kill the elf, and go home. I still have to find that sabre I left in the cave" Arthius said as he walked forward to the staircase. Serana smirked as she followed, gazing up at the construct.

"_Don't remind me"_ she thought as they walked up the steps to a basin in the middle. Arthius crossed his arms as Serana approached the basin with the ewer. She carefully poured the water into the basin, watching as it grew a bright green. The water flowed from the basin into a small canal system that flowed to the door to the inner sanctum. It then flooded into a hexagon with the symbol of Auriel in the center, glowing brighter than ever. The light faded as soon as it came, leaving Arthius and Serana gazing at the symbol.

"That was nice, I mean, definitely not worth the trip but…ya know" Serana said. She turned to face the entrance, glancing at the door.

"Well then, let's get to it" Arthius said as he strode forward, pushing open the heavy stone door. Serana nodded as she passed him into the sanctum, pausing at the scene before her. Directly in front of her was a falmer, frozen in the ice of the opening archway. Arthius followed her as he too paused. The room was a large open area with columns put throughout its space. What might have been a lovely scene once was now a gray, cold room with piles of rubble and remains. In the center was a small beam of light shining through the ceiling unto a shrine of Auriel. Many falmer and chaurus were frozen beside it, appearing to be attempting to reach the shrine.

"All of these Falmer...how did this even happen?" Arthius said as they approached the shrine. Serana glanced around, a bit unnerved.

"How long have they been like this? I thought the soul cairn was disturbing…" She said. As they glanced around, Arthius noticed a small pedestal in front of a sealed door. He quickly strode towards it, leaving Serana's side.

"Arthius, what are you doing?" Serana asked as she glanced to the door leading further into the sanctum. Arthius ignored her as he inspected the pedestal.

"Serana, can you please bring me the ewer" Arthius said, keeping his gaze at the pedestal. Serana simply walked over and held out the ewer to Arthius. He took it slowly and carefully placed atop the pedestal. After a moment, the pedestal sank down and the door raised in front of them. Arthius grinned at the opening before glancing at Serana.

"Well done, a secret passage" Serana said as she walked inside. Arthius followed to see it be a small corridor that continued around a corner. Arthius and Serana walked around it to see a large door to their left, a small gleam of light passing through it. Arthius turned to the door and opened it to a large room that was caved off by the rocks. As he looked around, Serana quickly grabbed him and threw him back with her. A large club smashed into where they were, being held by a large frost giant. Arthius and Serana landed in the corridor's hard stone floor with a thump. Arthius stared at the creature for a moment before being grabbed and thrown again by Serana as its club smashed into the spot they were. Arthius quickly gained his footing as he stared at the creature, he glanced at Serana who was already in her fighting stance.

"So, any strategies to fighting a giant?" Serana asked as she summoned her lightning.

"Yes" Arthius said as he equipped his crossbow "No mercy"

Arthius and Serana continuously fired at the giant as it approached them, roaring as it was pelted with bolts of both steel and lightning, being burnt by the explosion from the enchanted bolts. A few moments later, it fell before them with a crash. Serana fell to her knees, alerting Arthius immediately.

"Serana-"Arthius began.

"No, no I'm fine just- that took a lot out of me…" Serana said with what strength she could muster. Arthius knew that she was weak, especially after that battle, let alone all the walking they've been doing. He slowly began to remove his glove as a voice ran through his head.

"_As long as there's any other option, I will not feed from you"_ Arthius heard Serana's voice echo in his mind. He sighed as he stopped removing his glove and slowly put his hand on Serana's shoulder. He slowly placed his other hand on her other shoulder as he began to help her stand. She breathed heavily at first but slowly stood, keeping her balance. Arthius nodded at her as she glanced at him before walking to another sealed off door. He inspected it for a moment before realizing it once again required the ewer. He turned to see Serana already walking back out the room. Arthius turned back to the door and pondered of what would be on the other side as Serana came back into the room with the ewer. She simply placed it on the pedestal, making it sink in as the door opened. On the other side was a large chest with three potions of magicka, stamina, and health in front of it. Arthius chuckled as he walked over to the chest and opened it, grinning widely at what was inside. Arthius pulled out a large blood potion, grinning widely before Serana almost appeared in front of him, snatching it away.

"Wait…how did- why does he-?" Serana questioned as she stared at the bottle in her hands. Arthius smiled at her for a moment before replying.

"Well, it makes sense that he has a food source" Arthius said as he leaned against the chest. Serna quickly opened the bottle, put it to her lips, and tilted her head back, letting the thick liquid pour down her throat. Serana always thought that the potion tasted bitter and sickening, but at this moment it tasted like the sweetest nectar in all of Tamriel. Serana moaned as the drink poured down her throat, catching a chuckle from Arthius. As he was about to say something, a small trail of the potion went down from Serana's lips. Arthius stared at it, the way it moved down her skin. Serana's eyes slowly opened, making Arthius shudder at the sight of the golden orbs that have entranced him so many times before. Serana pulled the bottle away and placed it on the table that held the chest before turning to Arthius. She paused as she caught his expression, unsure of what to say. As she opened her mouth to call his attention, Arthius removed his left glove and approached Serana, stopping in front of her as he gazed into her eyes. Serana stared back at him, frozen as he slowly raised his hand. Arthius placed his hand on her cheek, putting his thumb on the edge of her lips. He slowly ran it down the side of her face, then down her neck, wiping away the small trail. Serana closed her eyes as the small tickle made her shudder. Arthius finished wiping away the trail as he brought his thumb back up to Serana. She opened her eyes and glanced at the red covered thumb held in front of her. She used her finger to smear it off before placing the small drop of potion into her mouth. Arthius immediately leaned in, making their lips crash into each other. Serana ran her hands through his hair as he pulled her into him. They parted lips as Arthius buried his face into Serana's neck, receiving a small moan from her. He raised his head again as Serana leaned in once more. After a moment, their lips parted as they stared into each other's eyes. Their kiss was short, violent, and pretty much anything other than love, but it was real.

**And that, is chapter 20. Like I said it was and probably will be my longest chapter. GINORMOUS shout out to BD99 for all the support and help. She's the reason I started doing this and if you haven't checked her stories yet, I highly advise you do.**

**Once again, I'd like to immensely thank everyone. Please, please, please leave a review and/ or message me if you have a question as I absolutely love speaking to you guys. **

**Thanks for reading.**


	21. The Battle for Auriel's Bow

Serana stared into Arthius' eyes, as if she was looking for something inside of them. She suddenly blinked, pulling herself out of whatever trance she was in before. She slowly took a step back, staring down at the floor. She slowly pulled her hood over her face as she mulled over her thoughts. Arthius watched her, scorning himself for what he might have just done.

"Why did you do that?" it came out as a whisper from her lips. Arthius thought of an excuse or a reason or anything to say other than what he really wanted to say. After a few moments though, he could see the effects of making Serana wait for the answer she needed. He sighed slightly before stepping in front of her and placing his hand on her chin and raising her head to meet his gaze. Serana refused to look into his eyes again and continued to gaze downward, awaiting his response.

"Because…gods damnit I don't know Serana…" Arthius said, barely able to get the words out. Serana paused, unsure if she heard correctly. Serana slowly raised her eyes and looked at Arthius, who now had a tired expression on his face. She stared at him, unsure if she should be happy or sad that she knew he would say that.

"Look, Arthius, I'm flattered but...look there's more important matters we need to attend to so…let's just wait, alright?" Serana said. Arthius nodded before putting his glove back on, a bit disappointed. Serana put her hood back on as she passed Arthius, pausing as she walked by him. Arthius glanced at her, raising an eyebrow.

"Serana-"

"Let's just…continue, shall we?" she said as she walked towards the door. Arthius sighed in as he grabbed the potions and followed. They returned back into the other room before walking through the next door. They continued through the corridor, the entire time, Arthius stared into the back of Serana's head. Serana knew he was staring at her, and it pained her to know this. She felt ashamed for what she had just done. Sure, the kiss they had was on both their parts, but treating him as though it wasn't was on her.

"_All I want is to stop my father, that's my priority, but I don't think I can do it without Arthius. I can't have him focusing on anything else, but I don't want to hurt him either…though I know that the idea of that is all it is or all that it can be, an idea"_ She was also hoping that whatever this was, it wouldn't stall them any more than it already has. Serana thought of this, the thought of being with Arthius in such a way. Even after the thought of defeating her father, it still seemed strange to her. Serana was torn from her thought as she noticed the sound of Arthius' footsteps cease, and turned to face him. Arthius was staring at a golden ruby necklace that was hanging from a frozen falmer's hand.

"Arthius, what are you doing?" Serana asked as she crossed her arms, slowly trailing back to her previous thoughts. Arthius quickly glanced at her for a moment before returning his gaze to the necklace.

"I'm sorry, just…old habits" Arthius said as he stared at the glimmering jewelry. Serana waited for a few moments as Arthius just stared at it, questioning more on her own wants and desires. After a few more moments, she realized that they were still standing there, staring at the necklace.

"Arthius, just grab it so-"Serana was cut off as the falmer exploded when Arthius placed his hand on the necklace. Arthius and Serana jumped back in shock, completely unexpecting the falmer to explode. They both stared at the remains of the falmer on the ground, after a few moments Arthius burst out laughing. Serana simply relaxed before turning back to the path. Arthius looked towards her, maintaining a small grin as he sighed. As they walked, Arthius continued to pick up items from the frozen falmer. It wasn't until the sanctum path lead into a tunnel that Arthius found an interesting item. In a frozen falmers hand hung a circlet with a strange enchantment on it. Arthius held the circlet in his hand, awaiting the patterned glow that would appear, indicating the enchantment that was placed upon the item. Serana approached Arthius, hoping to be of some assistance so that they may continue.

"What is it?" Serana asked, simultaneously looking back to the path with eagerness. Arthius stared at the circlet in his hands, unsure of the pattern. Serana glanced at it for a moment before simply taking it from him.

"Well, we can probably take to the college…or something" Serana said as she placed the circlet in Arthius' pouch. Arthius nodded, understanding that there was much more important matters to be dealt with at the moment. Serana began down the path as soon as she placed the circlet in Arthius' pouch, feeling closer and closer to stopping her father with each step. After a few moments, the path lead into an icy trail in a small tunnel. On the other side seemed to be a frozen hallway, or whatever was left of it. Most of the room was frozen stone as it had caved in the wall. Arthius ducked below a low hanging icicle as he walked down the hall after Serana. He saw Serana standing still outside of the hall, as though she was frozen. Arthius quickened his pace and froze as he too saw the scene. It appeared to be a large frozen throne room, ice everywhere, even surrounding the throne as if it was some sort of barricade. Frozen Falmer and Chaurus lined the path to the throne, covered in a dark shadow as the only light in the room was a small gleam on the throne itself. Arthius and Serana slowly walked forward after exchanging a glance, noticing an elf placed upon the throne. A snow elf to be exact.

"Did you really come here expecting to claim Auriel's Bow?" The elf boomed, a strong gruff to his voice. Arthius and Serana stayed silent, awaiting his next words. Arthius could barely make out his figure because of the ice between them, but he figured he would have most of his brother's features.

"You've done exactly as I predicted and brought you're fetching companion to me" The elf continued. Serana glanced at Arthius for a moment before slowly realizing what the elf meant.

"Wait, is he…talking about me?" Serana asked. Arthius turned to her before the elf continued.

"Which, I'm sorry to say, means your usefulness is at an end!" The elf shouted.

"_What is he talking about?"_ Arthius wondered. "_I've done as he predicted…did he know we were coming?"_ Arthius shoved his thoughts aside as he readied himself. Arthius clenched his fist as he prepared a thu'um in himself, until he heard a cracking sound behind him. Arthius and Serana turned to see the Falmer and Chaurus breaking free from their frozen prisons.

"Get ready!" Serana shouted as she took out her dagger and prepared a lightning bolt in her other hand. Arthius pulled out his sword and shield as he glanced around them. A few chaurus charged him, making Arthius jump to the side to avoid. As the one who was now closest to him turned, he slashed across it, shattering it with his flame enchanted sword. He felt a great pain in the back of his left leg, letting out a grunt. Serana turned to see a chaurus dig it's pincers into Arthius' leg. She stabbed down at the chaurus in front of her, shattering it upon impact before sending a lightning bolt, shattering the chaurus behind Arthius. She let out a breath before she was tackled from the side by a frozen chaurus. She was pinned on her back as she dropped the dagger. She was stunned for a moment before watching the chaurus above her rush downwards, attempting to crush her throat. She used both hands to grab it and slowly begin pushing it away. She heard a tattering sound to her right and glanced to see another chaurus approaching her. Her eyes shot open as she turned back to the chaurus on top of her, using all of her strength to push it off. As she did this, she heard a shattering sound and saw the chaurus beside her crumble into pieces. She then pushed the chaurus off of her, making it tumble a bit on the ice. She charged a lightning bolt and shot it at the creature. The chaurus shattered, sending pieces across the floor. Serana sighed as a hand appeared in front of her. She smiled as she took Arthius' hand and was brought to her feet. It was then that they heard more shattering, followed by a small screech.

"Well, let's continue" Arthius said before he charged towards the Falmer. There were three Falmer before him, preparing to strike. Arthius quickly slashed down on the first, cutting deep into its side, the frozen Falmer growled as it slashed at Arthius. Arthius raised his shield, blocking the slash before sending his shield across the face of the falmer, shattering it. He quickly jumped back as another Falmer slashed at him. Arthius watched as more and more falmer were unfreezing. He cursed under his breath before ducking anther swipe. Serana continued to send bolts of lightning at the Falmer, seeing no end in sight. As she charged another shot, she quickly ducked a swipe from a Falmer that somehow eluded her sight. She quickly reached for her dagger to find it missing from its sheath. She cursed loudly as she placed both hands in front of her and blasted the flamer with a large blast of lightning, shattering it. Arthius continued to block attacks and send them back when he could, but he soon found himself being overwhelmed. He was clawed in the back, feeling the cold sharp claws dig into his skin. He screamed as he turned back, slashing down on the Falmer's head as hard as he could muster. He then turned back to the other flamer and forcefully bashed them with his shield, sending them a step back. Arthius then jumped back and readied his thu'um.

"YOL TOOR SHUL" Arthius shouted, sending a large wave of flame at the Falmer. Arthius bent over, regaining his breath as the falmer crumbled in the flame. Serana walked beside Arthius, glancing at the large tear in his back and the gash in his leg. She immediately put her hands on his back, making Arthius writhe in pain. She used whatever healing magic she could muster on his wounds. Arthius immediately felt better as the magic healed him, numbing the pain as it did.

"An impressive display, but a wasted effort!" The elf shouted at the two. Arthius immediately stood and turned to the elf, more than a bit annoyed.

"Enough of this, what are you talking about?! How did you know we were coming?!" Arthius shouted up at the elf. The elf scowled at Arthius, as if he had insulted him.

"You dare to delay me, to delay my plans?! You've delayed nothing but your own deaths!" The elf shouted as he raised his hand to the ceiling. A bright aura surrounded him as he clenched his hand, activating the spell. The room began to shake as he continued with his spell. Serana turned to Arthius, aware of what was happening.

"Arthius, watch out! He's pulling down the ceiling! "Serana shouted. Arthius turned to her before glancing upwards to see a large chunk of ice falling down upon him. Arthius was then pulled from the side, barely avoiding the ice as he tumbled to the ground with Serana. The both quickly scrambled to their feet as more ice began to fall around the room.

"FINISH THEM" The elf shouted as more Falmer broke free. Arthius grew furious as he turned to the group of Falmer. He lunged forward, slashing the head of a Falmer clean off of its body as he did. He quickly regained his stance and turned left, raising his shield to block a strike from a falmer before it crumbled as it was shot by a bolt of lightning. Arthius then turned to the two behind him, being stunned by a lightning bolt striking his right arm. Arthius clenched the hilt of the sword, thrusting it forward into the chest of the Falmer shaman. He then turned to Serana as she pulled her dagger out from the skull of the last Falmer. Arthius smirked before the elf shouted once more.

"THIS HAS GONE ON LONG ENOUGH! "The elf screamed as a purple summoning aura appeared in front of him. Arthius barely turned towards the elf before he was slammed aside by a large frost astronach. Arthius landed on his side, sliding across the icy floor as the astronach charged Serana. Serana sent bolt after bolt of lightning at the large creature. The bolts seemed to do nothing as it charged forward, making Serana back up continuously. Arthius scrambled to his feet, pulling out his crossbow and aiming it at the astronach. Arthius heard a whizzing sound and quickly ducked an ice spike. He turned to the frozen Falmer shaman and fired the bolt at it. The Falmer exploded in a haze of fire and lightning, destroying 3 others with it. Arthius then turned back to the astronach in time to see it slam Serana into a wall. Serana's back made impact with the wall with great force. She felt the wind knocked from her, barely able to look up at the astronach. She then bared her fangs as she lunged up at the astronach, using all of her strength into a punch to its core, hoping to shatter it. Her fist made impact, a cracking sound following. Serana howled in pain as she collapsed to her knees, but also heard the astronach fall back and shatter as it hit the ground. She immediately felt Arthius at her side, getting a rush of comfort within her. Serana slowly opened her eyes as she felt Arthius' hands on hers. She stared down at her bloody and broken hand, wincing as Arthius inspected it. She suddenly felt Arthius' hold tighten, making her wince even more as her hand was clenched. She glanced at him to see his face blank, the rage inside of him getting the better of him.

"No…I won't let you ruin centuries of preparations…" the elf spoke as he walked forward, the aura surrounding him intensifying as he spread his arms. Arthius scowled as he walked forward, ignoring the rumbling of the ground and the shaking of the ceiling.

"Stop this! Surrender and give us the bow, or we will take it, along with your damn life!" Arthius shouted.

"MY LIFE ENDED FAR BEFORE YOURS BEGAN!" The elf screamed as a large flash of light consumed everything in sight. Arthius felt himself being launched backwards, slamming into a wall, making everything go black.

_It's time we stop this…continue what I started…He's all I have_

Arthius opened his eyes, seeing nothing but a bright blue haze. His face was numb from the cold and he could feel a sharp sting in the back of his head. A loud ringing sound was all that he could hear. Arthius struggled to look up to see a figure standing above him, and Serana's voice soon entered his mind.

"..ius, are you alright? C'mon, we can do this, I know we can" she spoke as she kneeled beside him. Arthius lied flat on his stomach as he attempted to push himself up. Serana offered him her hand and he took it, pulling himself up.

"He's up there on the balcony, c'mon" Serana said as she turned and ascended the steps. Arthius scowled as he thought of the elf. He quickly grabbed his sword and shield and rushed towards the stairs. The night was black as they climbed the steps unto the balcony. Serana began up the left side of the staircase as Arthius ascended the second, being sure that the elf wasn't escaping. They met at the center with the elf holding his side, wounded sometime during the battle. Serana approached him as Arthius kept his gaze upon the elf.

"Enough, Vyrthur. Give us the bow!" Serana spoke sternly as she crossed her arms. The elf looked up scowling, a small trace of blood on his lips.

"How dare you. I was the Arch-Curate of Auri-El, girl. I had the ears of a god!" The elf spit back. Serana slightly tilted her head as she replied.

"Until the "Betrayed" corrupted you. Yes, yes. We've heard this sad story." Serana simply said. The elf glared at her as he continued.

"Gelebor and his kind are easily manipulated fools. Look into my eyes, Serana. You tell me what I am" The elf spoke. Arthius paused for a moment at the words that were just said.

"_How…how does he know her?" _ Arthius pondered. As he looked back at the situation at hand, he noticed Serana was now blank faced as she stared into Vyrthur's eyes.

"You're…you're a vampire? But Auriel should have protected you…" Serana stumbled as she spoke.

"The moment I was infected by one of my own initiates, Auri-El turned his back on me. I'd swore I'd have my revenge, no matter what the cost" The elf growled.

"You want to take revenge…on a god?" Serana said, more composed and even a bit skeptical.

"Even I think that's a foolish plan" Arthius spoke as he leaned against a balcony, knowing that he had no input in this conversation. The elf turned to him and glared fiercely. Arthius simply ignored him as he continued.

"Auri-El himself may have been beyond my reach, but his influence on our world wasn't. All I needed was the blood of a vampire and his own weapon, Auriel's Bow "The elf said. Arthius pondered this as Serana mumbled to herself.

"The blood of a vampire…Auriel's Bow..." Serana said as she soon realized what he meant. Arthius removed himself from the balcony and took a step towards the elf.

"It was you…you created the prophecy…didn't you?" Arthius spoke. Serna stared at Vyrthur as he walked towards her with a grin.

"A prophecy that lacked a single, final ingredient…the blood of a pure vampire. The blood of a Daughter of Coldharbour" The elf spoke with anxiousness. Arthius was about to rush at the elf but Serana had been ahead of him. She grabbed him by his armor and lifted him in front of her, showing off her strength.

"You were waiting…all this time for someone with my blood to come along. Well too bad for you...I intend on keeping it. Let's see if your blood has any power left to it!" Serana said as she threw Vyrthur back. He used some sort of magic to halt himself from being tossed over the edge and landed on his feet in front of the two. Arthius immediately pulled his sword from it's sheathe and lunged at the elf. Vyrthur pulled out his dagger and parried the downwards slash from Arthius, quickly shooting an ice spike into Arthius' stomach. Arthius gagged as he was struck with the spike and took a step back as Serana shot lightning bolts at the elf. Vyrthur quickly casted a ward that blocked the shot as he fired a bolt back at Serana. She opened a ward herself but it broke as the bolt struck it, making Serana stumble back. She was then shot directly in the chest by another powerful lightning bolt sending her back and falling down the steps. Arthius clenched his hands as he charged forward again, slashing from the side. The elf brought his dagger down, parrying the sword again. Arthius growled as he put all his strength into a shield bash to the side of Vyrthur's head. The elf was sent stumbling back as Arthius prepared to strike him down. Arthius charged once more but was met with a large blast of lightning from the elf, sending him flying back and landing in a heap. Vyrthur panted as he attempted to catch his breath, he then heard a whizzing sound and turned to be struck by an ice spike in his right breast plate. He immediately shot a large spike back which sunk deep into Serana's stomach. Serana cried in pain but did not stop as she continued shooting ice spikes into the chest of the elf as she walked towards him. Vyrthur winced as each ice spike dug deeper into his armor, making him stumble back as they did. His back met with the railing as Serana continued firing as she approached. Vyrthur managed a lightning bolt in his right hand and launched it at Serana. Serana was struck in her left arm, a searing pain of electricity moving throughout her. She didn't let up as she continued firing with only her right hand. Vyrthur grunted as he felt the ice spikes begin to dig into his chest, making him cough blood. Serana ceased her fire as she grabbed Vyrthur by the chest plate and use all of her remaining strength to throw him over the railing before collapsing to the floor. Vyrthur grabbed the railing with his left hand as his body went over. He felt his arm be forcefully jerked out of its socket as he hung, making him scream in agony. He hung there for what seemed like hours, trying over and over again to lift himself up or at least grab the railing with his other hand. After many attempts Vyrthur finally grabbed the railing with his right hand, gripping onto it with all his might. He struggled as he slowly lifted himself up and placed his feet through the spaces of the rail. He slowly turned his head, staring down into the abyss. Vyrthur sighed as he stared at it, knowing he could have plunged into it.

"_That was too close, I can't allow all of my work to go to waste"_ Vyrthur thought as he stared.

"_All of my work, all of this waiting, is finally going to pay off. All I need to do now is extract the girl's blood, and I will finally have my revenge" _Vyrthur expression changed to a wicked grin as he grasped the railing, preparing to pull himself over. Vyrthur grin widened as he turned back to the balcony. His grin stopped however, as Arthius' sword went completely through his chest.

Vyrthur stared at Arthius, bloody and lurched as he held his sword. He then glanced down at the hilt of the blade that seemed to be sticking to his chest, and the pool of red pouring from it. Vyrthur cringed as the blade began to burn in his chest. His mind raced to everything he hoped for, everything he had wanted, everything he spent so much time and effort into, slipping from his grasp. Vyrthur suddenly looked up at Arthius, slowly reaching his hands up and placing them on his shoulder.

"You…you must…it has to be you…please…continue…what I started…and…you shall reign…over men…as though…they're cattle…please…just…take the bow…use her blood…it must be you…" Vyrthur spoke between coughs of blood, barely able to speak. Arthius stared at the elf, overwhelmed by rage t what the elf had said.

"All the pain this prophecy has put her through, all the chaos and corruption…and you want me to finish it" Arthius spoke as he stared at the elf.

"Well you can damn well forget it, along with any other plans you will ever have. Now die…knowing that you failed" Arthius glared as he spoke, barely able to stand himself. He then pushed forward on his hilt, slowly making Vyrthur lean backwards. Vyrthur slowly slid back until he slid off the blade and off of the balcony, staring at the sky as he plummeted into the abyss. He made no sound as he fell, simply watching the distance fade. As he fell, he couldn't help but let a small smile appear on his lips as one final thought crept into his mind.

"_I know he'll finish it...there's no denying it…he just doesn't know yet"_

**Alright, that's chapter twenty one, hope all of you enjoyed.**

**Man, that was the longest battle in the series, and this chapter will definitely hold a special place in my heart. I do hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. Big shoutout to BD99 as she's my biggest inspiration for writing this story.**

**Please leave a review and private message me for whatever reason you feel like. It means the world to me.**

**Thanks for reading.**


	22. The Night Before

Serana opened her eyes to a deep darkness, which after a moment turned to a gray. She felt cold, numb, and very tired. She felt stiff as she lied on something hard, yet a small cushion between her and the surface. She then noticed a small breathing beside her, and slowly glanced to her left to see the top of a head poking above the edge of the surface she was on. It was purplish with two small ears sticking out of it. Serana figured she was on a stone table of some sort. She glanced downwards to see that she was lying on a pelt of what appeared to be a deer. She turned back to the top of the head to see it lower, out of her view. Serana attempted to turn to her side when she felt a sharp pain, sending her back in place on her back. Serana took in a deep breath before scanning herself. It was then that she noticed that most of her upper body clothing had been removed except for her under clothing. There bandages neatly wrapped around her abdomen, and she noticed a half empty blood potion beside her. She strained as she slowly reached for it, feeling as though her arm weighed more than anything else. She sighed as she was able to grab it and slowly pull the top off. She tilted it to her lips, and swallowed the bottled potion until the bottle was empty. Serana felt better as she shoved the bottle off the table, making it shatter on the ground. It was then that the head rose above the table, allowing Serana to see the sabre cat that stood beside her. Her core screamed as she pushed herself away, almost toppling off the table. Serana let out a loud grunt as her back made impact with the table again. She heard rushing footsteps and a faint shouting growing near.

"…must stay still, your wounds won't allow you much movement" she heard a familiar voice say. Serana was then gently grabbed under her arms and was carefully placed back in place. She glanced upwards to see Gelebor put his hand to her forehead.

"No fever, but I'm unsure what that would mean for a vampire" the elf said as he placed another bottle beside her before petting the sabre cat. It purred as the elf stroked its head. Serana felt immensely more tired as she struggled to think of something to say. She wasn't able to say anything as her eyes shut and she drifted to sleep.

She awoke once more to the same surroundings, feeling a bit better. She looked down to see that her bandages we changed. She scanned around to see that they were back in the cave they met Gelebor in, and soon spotted Gelebor himself, praising his shrine. She attempted to call for him, but it only came out as a whisper as her mouth was incredibly dry. It seemed to be enough as Gelebor turned towards her and walked to her side.

"Greetings, how are you feeling child?" Gelebor asked. Serana opened her mouth, but was unable to speak. Gelebor walked over to a nearby table and poured water from a pitcher into a drinking cup. He then walked back to Serana, helping her lean upwards slightly as he put the cup to her lips.

"Drink slowly, don't strain yourself" Gelebor said as he tipped the cup so the water entered her mouth. Serana did as he said and sipped the water until the up was empty. Once Gelebor had placed her back down, she cleared her throat as she attempted to speak.

"How did I get here?" she asked. It came out very rough and her throat hurt once she said it.

"Once Vyrthur was defeated, I was able to open a wayshrine to the balcony. You were both in terrible condition and needed to be traded immediately, so I brought you both here" He explained. Serana lied, staring at the ceiling as she felt the soreness throughout her body.

"How long was I asleep?" Serana asked.

"Since the time you woke up, two days" Gelebor said as he walked back to the table, setting the cup down. Serana's eyes widened as she attempted to sit up again. She grunted loudly before falling back into her spot on the table. Gelebor seeing this, rushed over to her.

"You must remain still, your wounds will heal much more slowly if you don't" Gelebor said softly as he inspected her bandages. Serana shut her eyes tightly, hoping that she had somehow misheard him.

"I've been asleep for two days…great" Serana said to herself under her breath, catching Gelebor's ear.

"Actually, it's been five days since I brought you here, you woke momentarily two days ago" Gelebor said softly. Serana shot up once more, sending her legs over the side of the table before the pain struck her. Serana screamed in agony as she pushed herself off of the table, barely able to keep herself on her feet as she made contact with the ground. Gelebor sighed as he went around the table to Serana, carefully placing his hands on her shoulders.

"You must lie down. As I already told you-"

"Thank you for what you've done…we must leave now…where's Arthius?" Serana said in-between breaths as she pushed herself from the table, screaming on the inside as she stood with no support. Gelebor wrapped his arm around her, helping her stand.

"If you demand to leave I will not stop you, though I don't believe Arthius has the same attitude as you do" Gelebor said as he basically carried Serana to another segment of the cave. Serana focused her sight on the table in front of her. Arthius lied across it, the Sabre cat sitting obediently beside him. As she inspected him more, she noticed a large part of his chest was darker than the rest of him. All of his Armor was removed but a fur covered him from the waist down.

"What happened to him?" Serana asked, readjusting her arm that she had around Gelebor's head for support.

"He was shot with a powerful blast of electricity. Normally it would have effects against your magicka above all else, but this was different. Normally, electric magicka would scatter, hitting different spots and sometimes the bolts wouldn't even make impact. Compare it to a wave of arrows being shot at you, except Vyrthur's attack was more like a large spear. May Auri-El guide him to recovery" Gelebor said. Serana stared at Arthius, unsure of what to say. She slowly looked around the room to see a wooden chair near the wayshrine.

"Gelebor, can you please retrieve that chair for me? I'd like to stay by Arthius" Serana said simply. Gelebor glanced in the direction she was looking before looking back at her.

"Well, it's better that you sit than stand" Gelebor said. He slowly moved Serana over to the table, letting her lean against it as he walked over and plucked the chair from its spot before bringing it and setting it down beside the stone table Arthius lied upon. Serana smiled at Gelebor before nodding to him. Gelebor simply nodded back before turning and walking away to another part of the cave. Serana sat, watching Arthius' chest slowly rise and fall.

"_All of this, all the things you've sacrificed. You're either an idiot or just plain stubborn"_ Serana thought to herself as she wrapped her arms around her body.

"_Still, I wonder why you do it. Why you choose to put up with it, or at least try and look as though you do" _She thought, remembering what he said about how his life was before he had met her.

"_Of course, that was during the blood bond experience, and the following days when we questioned everything else"_ she thought back to when they first broke the bond. How they were both emotionally lost. At one minute feeing nothing but hatred towards each other while the next they would be in love, believing in the possibility that some of what they had was actually real. She thought of the dream she had with the voices that argued with each other, realizing not too long after that the one that spoke of the reality was her, and the one that spoke of hope was the lingering effects of the blood bond. She sighed, but also smiled back at some of their moments. She realized that she could now find it funny, something to look back and laugh at. She glanced downwards at Arthius, smiling as she thought of all the ways he had tried to hurt her, and the ways she had tried to hurt him. It seemed as though they were different people then, maybe they still are, either way, Serana still trusted him. She couldn't recall, even in their false identities, that she didn't. As though she always knew she could. She looked back at Arthius with a sigh as she leaned back in the chair, shutting her eyes.

"_Don't make me wait too long" _Serana said as her thoughts went back to when she had first Arthius in Dimhollow crypt.

"_I feel like I've done my share of waiting already"_

_Serana slowly opened her eyes, the smell of smoke filled the air. She sat up, couching heavily as the thick air surrounded her. She looked around but saw nothing through the smoke, a distant roar of screams caught her ears. She slowly lifted herself from the ground, barely able to stand. Serana covered her mouth as she walked towards the screams, making out a doorway in the distance. She rushed towards it, using all of her strength to push it open to reveal a large courtyard filled with people. The screams had ceased, and the door had vanished behind Serana. The crowd was looking away from Serana, staring in one direction. She slowly made her way through the crowd, noticing that they all were wearing hoods that covered themselves. As she made her way to the front, she paused at the scene before her. Harkon was standing beside…her, holding Auriel's bow. Serana's eyes widened as she stared at the scene, watching as Harkon raised a chalice to the other Serana's throat before slitting it, holding her in place as the blood filled the vessel. The screams continued as the scene before her changed once more, the lands were barren and dead, the sky was black and all the buildings were burnt to the ground. Serana stood alone, glancing around the gray world she now stood in. _

Serana's eyes opened, she stared at the roof of the cave.

"_Just a dream"_ she reassured herself. She looked down to see that she was now lying on the table that Arthius was lying on, only the fur had been changed. She heard a voice in another segment of the cave, slowly rising to sit up. Serana was slowly able to swing her legs off the side of the table and push herself off of it. She leaned against the table as she walked, moving slowly towards the voice.

"Hello?" she called out, the voice ceasing. She heard footsteps and Gelebor appeared, looking rather irritated. He walked to her side, allowing her to wrap her arm around him.

"How are you feeling?" he asked as they slowly began walking to the other part of the cave.

"Better, thank you Gelebor" Serana spoke. At this point, she heard a small clinking sound.

"As you might be aware by now, Arthius has woken up. He refuses to rest at all, and he's in no condition to even be moving. Perhaps you can convince him to lie down, as he will probably collapse soon" Gelebor said.

"_Of course, I'll try"_ Serana thought to herself sarcastically as they turned the corner. They stopped walking as Serana saw Arthius. He was wearing his torn steel plate armor as he swung his blade, practicing his swings. With each swing, he nearly fell over, barely able to stand as he held his blade. His movements were slow and inaccurate, it seemed as though he was just swinging his limp arm in a general direction. After a moment, he spotted her and Gelebor. Arthius stood up straight, sheathing his blade as he limped over to them.

"Glad to see you're awake" Arthius grunted, still pained by his wounds. He quickly glanced down at the small amount of clothing Serana was wearing, due to her injuries. He ignored it as he focused on what was important. Serana smirked as she leaned on Gelebor, glancing at his torn armor.

"I could say the same to you" she smiled. Arthius' face turned serious once more as he nodded to her.

"Alright, let's continue. Gelebor, have you located the bow?" Arthius said as he glanced at Gelebor. Gelebor closed his eyes, sighing as he did.

"You are in no shape to go anywhere, please rest" Gelebor said with annoyance. Arthius ignored him as he crossed his arms and looked over to Serana. Serana nodded to him as she slowly pushed herself away from Gelebor, almost falling as she moved to lean against the wall.

"He's right, there's no time to waste on resting. We must stop this prophecy once and for all" Serana said as she stared at Gelebor. Gelebor put his hand to his forehead for a moment before simply turning and walking away.

"Follow me, if you must" Gelebor said as he walked away, ignoring the fact that Serana couldn't walk on her own. Arthius grinned as he walked Vyrthur walk away, glancing at Serana as she leaned against the wall. He forcefully made himself walk straight as he moved to Serana. She raised her arm, letting Arthius place it around his neck. He couldn't stop a pained grunt coming from his mouth as he raised Serana from the wall, propping her against him. Serana chuckled as they began to walk at a snail's pace after Gelebor, noticing Arthius' heavy breathing as they did.

"You'd think..after five days..this would be easy" Arthius grunted as they walked around the corner. Serana made no attempt to speak as she herself had trouble since she was carrying some of her own weight. They soon arrived at the wayshrine as Gelebor stood beside the entrance.

"The bow is yours, but be advised that you are in no shape to-"Gelebor began.

"Thank you for your concern Gelebor but I am in no mood to be talked to like an ignorant child not knowing any better, now SHOW US THE DAMN BOW!" Arthius shouted, catching both Serana and Gelebor off-guard. Gelebor quickly glanced at Serana for a moment, Serana keeping her gazer strong on him. Gelebor sighed as he walked away, the bow appearing in the wayshrine as he did. Serana and Arthius stared at the bow for a few moments, staring as it spun.

"You know, it's…not as-"Serana began.

"Serana…please" Arthius said, a bit tired. Serana sighed, keeping her thoughts to herself. Arthius slowly leaned Serana against the entrance to the wayshrine as he slowly stepped in, slowly reaching upward and grasping the bow. Arthius held the bow in his hand, feeing the same power he had felt when he had first grabbed his sword or shield, the weapon of a god.

"Alright, let's get going" Arthius said, still looking down at the bow. He turned to Serana, slowly walking over to her and grabbing her waist as she pushed herself from the wall.

"You know what we have to do now, right?" Serana said as she leaned against Arthius.

"Yes, it's time that we kill your father" Arthius said in a cold tone. Arthius glanced down at Serana to see her head was down.

"I'm sorry, I know that-"Arthius began.

"No, you're right. I've been thinking about this for a long time. And…no, it's not easy, but we don't really have much of a choice. This has to end, now" Serana said, determined in her words. Arthius sighed, nodding to himself. They stood there in silence for a few more seconds before Arthius made a small whistle. He then began walking forward, the sabre cat soon following them. Serana sighed as she realized that Arthius meant for her to lean on the sabre cat for the time being. They slowly made their way through dark fall cave, Arthius limping while Serana walked while putting most of her weight on the sabre cat's back after she had retrieved her armor. As they grew close to the exit, a loud roar came from behind them. Arthius cursed under his breath as he turned to see a large troll charging towards them. He heard Serana let out a grunt and turned to see her on the ground as the sabre cat charged the troll. The troll lunged forward, swinging his heavy arm to swipe at the sabre cat. The sabre cat leapt over his arm pouncing on its chest and knocking it onto its back. As the sabre cat went down to bite its neck, the troll swung its arm again, slamming into the side of the cats body. The sabre cat was sent crashing into a wall as the troll quickly stood and charged it, planning to crush it.

"FUS RO DAH" Arthius shouted, sending the troll flying through the air, then crumbling to the ground on its stomach. The sabre cat wasted no time as it pounced on the troll's back, sinking it's fangs into the side of its throat and ripping it out, killing the troll almost instantly. The cat panted for a bit before shaking itself and slowly walking over to Serana, putting its head down for her to reach it. Serana gave it a small smile before grabbing it and placing herself back into position.

As they left the cave, Serana turned to see the mountains that stood in the way of them and the shores to the castle. She sighed, knowing that it is still not the right time to do so.

"So, where are we going now?" Serana asked as they slowly walked down the path.

"We'll stop by Solitude and hire a carriage to Whiterun, but I have to do something before we head to Whiterun" Arthius said as they slowly walked.

"And what's that?" Serana asked.

Serana stood by the carriage with her arms crossed. She and Arthius had seen a healer and Arthius had gotten something to eat while Serana had bought more potions for the two of them. It was now late afternoon as the sky was a light orange. After a few more minutes, Serana saw a figure walking down the path to the nearby path that the carriage stayed. She smirked as she saw the ebony clad warrior approach her.

"Nice armor" Serana said as Arthius stood in front of her.

"I thought you told me that you strayed from this because of how some people may look at you?" Serana asked with a smirk. Arthius sighed as he lifted himself up on the carriage, minding to be careful not to step on the sleeping sabre cat. He moved over to allow Serana to sit across from him.

"Yes, well…as you've seen, people aren't exactly fond of me anyways. That, and I sort of stopped giving a damn" Arthius said with a cold expression. Serana smile widened slightly at this.

"Driver, Whiterun" Arthius said.

It was night when they arrived in Whiterun, the driver being paid went on his way. Arthius and Serana stopped by his small home in Whiterun to put the sabre cat for the time being. They slowly made their way up the road, noticing the absence of people. Arthius paused, Serana staying by his side. A figure stepped out from behind Carlotta's stand, bathed in the moonlight. Arthius squinted his eyes, trying to make out who it was. Serana moved her hand over her dagger, ready if the figure decided to attack.

"MOVE AWAY FROM THE GIRL, ARTHIUS" The figure shouted. Arthius growled as he pulled out his sword.

"Vilkas, this has gone on long enough. End this feud you have or it will end badly for us all" Arthius shouted. It was then that figures began to appear all around them, raising swords and crossbows alike.

"Don't make it come to this Arthius" Vilkas said. Arthius smirked as he grabbed Serana by the shoulder, moving her behind him.

"It seems as though I already have" Arthius said with a smirk. Serana turned, pulling out her dagger as she eyed the figures behind them. She bared her fangs, snarling at the shadows.

"Once again, we're surrounded Arthius" Serana said as a smile appeared on her face.

"And just as before, we're going to send everything that steps forward TO ITS ANCESTORS!" Arthius shouted.

"Damnit Arthius, don't make me do this, don't make me hurt my brother!" Vilkas shouted. Arthius clenched his sword, overwhelmed by rage.

"You not my brother, NOT ANYMORE" Arthius shouted. Serana spotted a movement amongst the shadows and aimed her spike at it.

"Don't move unless you'd like a fucking hole in your chest!" Serana growled. Arthius' mad grin widened at this, fueled by rage.

"STOP THIS YOU FOOLS" Arthius heard a familiar voice shout. He turned to see Agmaer standing at the steps leading to the gildergreen.

"He is an ally, and probably our only hope of defeating the vampires. Now all of you, back to jorrvaskr, now!" Agmaer shouted.

"NO, WE MUST STOP THIS NOW. WE CANNOT-"Vilkas began.

"YOU'RE NOT IN COMMAND VILKAS, I AM. NOW GO BACK TO JORVASKR!" Agmaer shouted at Vilkas. Vilkas huffed as he turned towards Arthius, glaring at him before walking up the path to jorrvaskr. Arthius and Serana watched as the figures stepped out of the shadows. They were all dressed in Dawngaurd armor and Arthius knew none of them. Arthius sighed as he sheathed his sword, being sure to remember what happened. He slowly turned to meet Agmaer's gaze, wondering about something.

"Greetings Arthius, we're here as you requested" Agmaer said with a kind smile.

"Agmaer, what did you mean when you said that you were in command?" Arthius said. Agmaer's expression changed as Arthius asked this, sighing as he crossed his arms.

"Arthius, Isran is dead"

Serana sat on Arthius' bed in his home. She couldn't stop thinking of what would come of tomorrow. She was staying in the home to rest for the night as Arthius would stay in Jorvaskr. She couldn't help but stay awake, though it was well past midnight. She was nervous, excited, and scared. Mostly scared of what might happen after the battle, of what might happen if they defeat her father, of what might happen to her or Arthius once they were no longer "useful". Serana was torn from her thoughts as she heard the door open and hear footsteps on the stairs. She slowly moved over to the staircase to see Arthius waling up the steps, wearing a basic tunic.

"Arthius, what's the problem?" Serana asked. Arthius sighed as he moved past her leaning against the wall as he crossed his arms. Serana stood silently, awaiting for Arthius to say something.

"I can't sleep. There's just…too much on my mind" Arthius said. Serana sighed as she moved to the bed, sitting down at the edge as she was before. Serana contemplated this for a few moments, trying to think of the right thing to say.

"Arthius, just answer one thing for me" Serana said. Arthius looked up, raising an eyebrow.

"What will you do once my father's defeated? I know I've asked before but…I was hoping you could actually give me an answer this time" Serana said as she stared at him. Arthius continued to lean against the wall, staring at the ground as he did. He then slowly pushed himself off of the wall and walked over to her, sitting beside her on the bed.

"I'm…I'm going to keep my promise" Arthius said. Serana looked at him, waiting for him to continue.

"I'm going to do all I can to protect you, I'm keeping my promise to your mother" Arthius said. Serana nodded, the corner of her mouth rising slightly.

"Thank you, Arthius" Serana said. Arthius nodded back at her before rising from the bed.

"Well then, I think we could both use some rest. I'll see you in the morning, Serana" Arthius said as he walked to the stairs.

"Arthius" Serana called. Arthius paused as he turned back to her. Serana stared at Arthius for a few moments before speaking.

"Could you…stay in the house? I mean…it's not that I don't trust your friends not to slit my throat as I sleep but…I'd just be more comfortable" Serana said. Arthius sighed, slowly nodding afterwards.

"I'll be downstairs if you need me" Arthius said. Serana nodded to him, smiling as Arthius descended the stairs. Serana waited a few minutes before beginning to undress. Once she was comfortable, she settled into the furs in Arthius' bed. It wasn't long before she fell asleep, feeling better knowing that Arthius was close. Arthius stayed standing on the stairs as he's been since he first descended them.

"_No, not tonight. I'm not going to try tonight. Especially not right before what I'm about to do to her"_

**Oh man, only about three more chapters. Three more, and the story is over. I'm both excited and terrified of the end, but it's bound to come sometime. **

**I'd like to thank BD99 for everything she's done for me. If you haven't already, check out her amazing story. It's really what got me into fanfic.**

**Be sure to leave a review and message me anytime if you have a question or for any reason and I'll get back to you as soon as possible.**

**Thanks for reading.**


	23. What Happened in Cyrodiil part one

**So very close to the end. I'm pretty sure you can tell what this chapter's about by the title, and I hope to satisfy those of you who've been asking for it. This will split into another chapter, chapter 25 being the big finale. **

**Read on.**

"So when did it happen?" Arthius asked. He was sitting beside Agmaer as they rode in a carriage down the path towards Solitude. Many other carriages rode alongside them, filled with Dawnguard and whatever guards they could round up. Arthius sat in the front carriage, leading the four other carriages with Agmaer. It was still early morning, the sky a dark blue as the night began to end. There was a small breeze but nothing else, leaving them in silence along with the soft sounds of crunching snow under the hooves of the horses.

"Two days ago, just outside of Riften. He was hunting with a few others, hoping to catch any vampire foolish enough to come near Riften. Well, some did, quite a few actually" Agmaer said with a cold tone, like a man would do when they speak of a close one's passing.

"Apparently they were expecting them, knowing that they'd be hunting that exact night" Agmaer added on. Arthius mulled this over for a bit, sighing at the thought of the men who died. He knew that Isran would get himself killed, almost certain of it, but it bothered him to know that Isran's foolishness caused others to die as well.

"So then…no survivors" Arthius spoke.

"No, by the time we went to check things out…" Agmaer's voice faded out as he stared downwards. Arthius glanced up at him, waiting for Agmaer to continue.

"It was a message, the bodies were in pieces" Agmaer said. Arthius imagined the scene the best he could, cringing at the thought.

"Anyways…what about you?" Agmaer spoke up, hoping to change the conversation. Arthius looked up, raising an eyebrow at Agmaer.

"What do you-"

"I mean your travels, especially whatever happened between you and the twins" Agmaer spoke. Arthius sighed as he slowly turned his head back, eying Farkas as he sat beside his brother.

"Nothing but a few disagreements here and there is all" Arthius smirked as he thought of how he beat the two into submission without breaking a sweat, feeling confident that he could do it again, without the vampiric strength.

"That's not what some of the others were saying…" Agmaer said as he watched the road ahead. Arthius chuckled, crossing his arms as he sat back.

"Well then, let them think what they want. As long as they focus when it's time to battle, I couldn't give a damn. Hopefully they make up some story that makes me look like an unbeatable warrior, give them some courage to fight" Arthius said. Agmaer chuckled, glancing at Arthius.

"They've made a few. My favorite one is the one where you fought them both simultaneously in a blizzard, and Vilkas accidentally stabs Farkas through the stomach" Agmaer said, making Arthius laugh. After a few moments, Agmaer looked over to Arthius.

"So what about the girl?" Agmaer asked. Arthius glanced over at him, making Agmaer turn his gaze back to the road. Arthius sighed as he closed his eyes, scratching the side of his head.

"It's better this way, even if she would disagree. Either way, I'll take the blunt of it once this is all over" Arthius said. It was his choice to leave Serana behind, he made the plan before going back to his home. He didn't have any trouble convincing the rest of the group, not that it surprised him.

Serana wrapped her arms around herself as a strong wind blew. She eyed the trail of tracks left from the carriages in the snow, sighing as she saw that they were beginning to fade.

"_Have to quicken my pace, otherwise I'll lose them"_ she thought, almost forgetting that she already knew where they were headed. She remembers waking up, panicking and in a sweat. She had the same dream again, and it seemed slower this time around. She clenched to the furs as she attempted to calm herself. She slowly rose from the bed, slowly walking towards the stairs. She descended, hoping to find Arthius as soon as the room below came into view. After a moment of looking around, she knew he wouldn't be there, or anywhere in Whiterun. She was able to find their tracks out of the Whiterun gates, but not after destroying half of the house. Serana sighed as she thought of it, such a childish act. Still, Arthius knows how this would affect her, and he went along with it anyways. Serana clenched her hands into fists as her pace quickened.

"_Damnit, I will not let him see his plan through!"_ Serana thought, unsure of who she was referring to.

"Well make them go faster!" Arthius shouted at Agmaer. They were at the shore, just north of Solitude. Arthius could see the castle in the distance, the thick fog covering the water between him and the castle.

"We can't. We just have to wait for them to show up, nothing we can do" Agmaer said as he leaned against the carriage with his arms crossed. Arthius ran his hand through his hair as he sighed, glancing back at the group behind him. As they arrived, a few other carriages were awaiting their arrival. Agmaer explained last night, a few ships were to be sent from Riften's port to carry the amount of soldiers they had, which was around 40 to 50. Unfortunately, word was a bit late as to when the ships were to be expected to be at the shore.

"Well, that's alright, nothing we can do about it, it's nobody's fault, just…happens" Arthius mumbled as he slowly paced back and forth, trying his best to calm himself. As he did this he closed his eyes, blocking out all noise best he could as he repeated the thoughts in his head. He continued this in his head as he sat on the carraiges about an hour later, that is until he heard someone shout "vampire". Arthius opened his eyes and slowly turned to the path along the shore to make out a figure walking towards them. Arthius sighed as he put his head in his palm, swinging his other arm violently to the side, hoping to make contact with something. As he slowly removed his palm and looked back up, he noticed how much she was shaking as she walked. Arthius immediately hopped off the carriage and strode forward, picking up his pace into a jog.

"Agmaer, set up a tent, now!" Arthius shouted back as he jogged before he turned back forward to Serana. As she opened her mouth to speak, Arthius immediately wrapped his arms around her, helping her walk back to his carriage. Arthius shuddered as he could feel the cold through his armor, basically carrying Serana as they walked towards the men as they quickly built the tent. Arthius grabbed a large fur from the carriage before turning back to the tent as the final posts were being put up. They waited for a few moments before the tent was set, Arthius getting a nod from Agmaer once they finished. Arthius nodded back as he brought Serana through the flaps to find a bedroll laid out on the floor. He began to open it up until Serana grabbed him by the shoulder, letting herself down to sit on top of it. Serana crossed her arms, staring down at the ground. Arthius sighed as glanced around the empty tent, removing his gauntlets as he did. He turned back to Serana as she continued to stare blankly at the ground, almost frozen in place.

"You understand why I did it, correct?" Arthius asked.

"I understand your reasoning behind it, but I don't understand why you did it" Serana simply replied without moving an inch, in a way that Arthius slightly thought that she didn't open her mouth to say it, though she obviously did.

"What do you mean?" Arthius asked, looking down at her. Serana motioned slightly, still hidden under her hood.

"I understand the thought of having a girl kill her father, I understand why someone would try to keep that from happening. What I don't understand is why you would do it" Serana spoke. Arthius held his breath for a moment, Serana continuing before he could think of something to say.

"You've seen what my father has done, to me specifically, you've seen how he's impacted me. Anyone who'd seen that would have done the same thing you did, but I had hoped you weren't the same as they were" Serana paused for a moment as Arthius spoke up.

"I promised you're mother I'd protect you, and that if means-"

"Hurting me" Serana cut him off. Arthius' brow lowered as he stared down at her.

"If necessary" Arthius said in a lower tone. It was silent for a few moments, the wind being the only thing that made sound, aside from the small chatter or crunch of snow beneath boots. Serana rolled her shoulders a bit, still feeling the cold. Arthius sighed, shutting his eyes as he lowered himself and sat beside her.

"So what is it going to take?" Arthius said. Serana glanced to him, unsure of what he meant.

"What must I do to make sure you don't accompany us?" Arthius said. Serana glanced back down at the ground, putting her hands under her arms in attempt to keep them from freezing.

"That's not an option, Arthius. This is something I have to do, and there's nothing that will convince me otherwise" Serana said, low but with determination, as she usually speaks.

"_This is something I have to do, and there's nothing that will convince me otherwise"_

The words echoed through Arthius' head, making his core shake.

"_Of course I'd remember that now, of all times"_ Arthius thought, the bittersweet memories filling his head. He clenched his fist as her voice echoed through his head, not in control of himself as he slammed his hand down into the snow. Serana turned to him to see him bent over, his eyes shut tightly and his breaths paced.

"Arthius, what's-" Serana began but stopped as Arthius raised his hand to silence her, recovering from whatever had just overtaken him. After a moment, Arthius opened his eyes to meet Serana's as she stared at him. Serana could immediately see the pain in his eyes, something racing through his mind as he opened his mouth.

"Serana…I think it's time I told you what happened in Cyrodiil" Arthius said in a low tone. Serana made no movements, she just continued watching Arthius. He sighed once more, clearing his throat before opening his mouth again.

"I suppose I should start at the beginning"

Arthius stood outside of his former home, bitter tears rushing down his face as he reached down and picked up another rock before throwing it as hard as he could at the aged log house. He couldn't feel his feet as he stood on the rocky path, the cold night air overtaking him. As the rock made a loud thud, he could hear movement inside as the man who was supposed to be his uncle rushed towards the doors.

"Damnit boy, if you keep this up you can rest easy in the damn dungeon!" The old man threatened in his rough Imperial accent. Arthius replied by hurling another rock, this time smashing through the window.

"Damnit!" The man yelled as he marched towards the door, kicking it open. Arthius was waiting for him as he flung another rock, striking the Imperial in the bridge of the nose. He was very tan and had light gray hair that went down to his shoulders. He had a square, rough, face. Some would say he looked like a warrior but Arthius only saw him as a cruel coward. The man bent over as he put his hands up to his nose, the blood dripping through his fingers.

"YOU BASTARD! GAURDS, GAURDS!" The man screamed. Arthius quickly turned and ran up the trail and into the woods, hearing the rushing of footsteps from the path. He quickly rushed through the woods, wiping his tears as he ran. After what felt like hours, much time after the footsteps ceased, he stopped and sat down beside a tree, leaning his head back as he panted.

He was eleven years of age, all he had was a blue tunic, dark brown pants, and an old pair of shoes that his adopted father had made him in bed. Arthius thought back a week ago, he stood inside the house beside his dying father as he lied in bed.

"_It will be all right Arthius…your uncle will care for you once I am one with the divines"_

_Arthius held back his tears as he listened._

"_He should have been here, he should have been here all along" Arthius said with resentment in his voice. The old man chuckled as he slowly raised his hand, placing it on Arthius' shoulder. _

"_It matters not now, just-"The old man paused as he coughed heavily. Arthius reached for the glass on the table beside the bed and quickly raised it to the old man's lips. He drank a small amount before raising his hand. He smiled at Arthius before continuing._

"_Just remember to be strong, Arthius. Have your wits, no matter what. Things will be much better from now on, you'll see" The old man grinned. He had a very weak smile, but it was no surprise considering his health. He looked much like his brother, but his eyes were much kinder and he had a sincere but goofy smile._

"_Things are fine as they are" Arthius said. The old man laughed, making Arthius grin._

"_You'll hear no complaints from me, but you'll see. Things are only going to get better from here" _

Arthius curled up as the tears swelled up, making him clench his eyes. The cold air blew, making him shake uncontrollably. Arthius lied down, moving the brush around to cover him from at least a bit of the wind. He was surprised how tired he felt as he lied on dirt and rocks, feeling sleep taking over him.

"_Please watch over me, Malin. I love you, and I miss you" _Arthius thought as he drifted off to sleep, hoping that he would wake from this nightmare in the morning.

Arthius sighed as he stared blankly at the wall of the tent. Serana was now facing Arthius as she sat, waiting for him to continue. Arthius tore himself from his gaze and glanced over to Serana.

"Anyways, I became a thief as I already told you. Just trying to survive, keeping my wits as I was instructed to do so. I was pretty good at too, though I never stayed in one place long enough for people to notice. That was until I had a reason to stay"

Arthius laughed loudly as he ran through the streets in the evening. He glided past the citizens with his bag of goods, hearing the guards behind him shout as they crashed into the crowd. He laughed again before taking a quick right into an alley, being sure that the guards didn't spot him turning. He pressed his back against the wall and waited, almost blowing his cover as he watched the guards rush past him. He waited a few moments before snickering. He was covered head to toe in dark leather, a silk hood on his head. He had a large dagger strapped to his side, just in case. He was now sixteen years of age, living in the shadows of the Imperial city, the last place a thief is welcome. As Arthius was about to make his getaway, a voice behind him made him pause.

"Nice goodies, hard to believe someone dressed like yourself could afford a sack full of jewelry" he heard a soft voice speak, but he could tell it wasn't the real thing. He turned to see a young Imperial girl, not much older than him with pale skinned and red hair that waved down past her shoulder to her light blue dress. Her face was serious as her eyes that matched ice itself sent chills down Arthius' spine. Arthius smirked as he leaned against the wall.

"Well, you could say that I'm a man who gets what he wants" He chuckled, being sure that he brought his mask up to cover his mouth and nose so only his eyes were showing. The woman's eyes widened as he said this.

"Wait, you didn't steal them, did you?" she asked, a nervous expression on her face. Arthius grinned widely behind his mask, hoping to get a kick out of this girl.

"Of course not, I simply borrowed them without the owner knowing" Arthius said, almost laughing himself silly.

"Borrowing it means you have the intention of returning it" The girl said as she crossed her arms.

"Well I never said I was any good at it" Arthius said. The woman glared at him, huffing as she glanced past him.

"I could report you, and you'd be sent to prison" she said with venom. Arthius chuckled loudly as he tilted his head.

"Listen sweetheart, by the time you tell them I'll be long gone" Arthius said, crossing his arms as he raised his eyebrow at her. The girl looked at the ground, her eyes moving about as she searched for a reply.

"Well then…you're going to have to give them to me, then I'll give it to the guards" The girl said, placing her fists on her sides matter-of-factly. Arthius couldn't hold it as he burst out laughing, seeing the girl's cheeks turn red as she glared at him.

"You- you're going to stop me?" Arthius said as he regained himself. The girl's cheeks immediately paled once more, her expression turning cold, and her hands raising from her sides. Only one of them held a large dagger.

"Yes, now drop the bag" The girl said as she held out the dagger towards Arthius. Arthius' smile faded as he quickly reached down to find his dagger missing from his side. He quickly looked back up to the girl to see she was the one smiling now.

"Bitch" Arthius said, glad that his mask covered his features so she couldn't see the stupid face he had. The girl made no movement as she held the blade out towards Arthius.

"Bag, now" She said. Arthius hesitated before slowly reaching down and grabbing the small sack he was carrying. He brought it up slowly, eyeing the girl before quickly throwing it at her. The girl barely had time to reach up and grab it, just as Arthius rushed her. She dropped the bag as she struck at Arthius with the dagger. Arthius quickly pushed the blade to the side as he raised his boot to kick her in the stomach, but not before she moved aside with the blade and swept him. Arthius fell onto his back with a loud grunt, looking up to see the dagger coming down at him. Arthius quickly raised his hands and caught the girl's wrist, struggling to hold it away. The girl quickly tossed the dagger to her other hand and swung down at the exposed Arthius. Arthius clenched his eyes, almost whimpering. After a moment, he forced an eye open to see the dagger just a few inches above his head. He slowly turned to see the girl staring at something. He raised his head slightly to see her staring at the contents of the bag on the ground. Bread, cheese, packed meats, packed wines and other drinks along with a few sweet rolls scattered the ground. The girl slowly released her grip, and slowly rose. Arthius waited for a moment before quickly rising and shoving the girl to the floor before quickly throwing the contents back inside the sack and running down the alley. He ran with all his speed down the alley, turning any chance he got before he climbed up the side of a wall and into an abandoned building with no surface entry beside the roof. He quickly climbed on top, opening the hidden hatch and jumping inside. He quickly sealed the hatch, leaving him in darkness. Arthius sighed as let himself collapse, lying on the hard floor. He waited for a few minutes before getting up and lighting a wall scone with the small bit of magicka he had. He sighed as he slowly descended the steps from the attic to the main floor, containing an old dining table and chairs around it. He lit the scones as he went until he turned to the one doorway which led into a kitchen with freshly cleaned pots and an old wood burning oven. Arthius sighed as he dropped the bag onto the counter before going over and lighting the fire for the cauldron and the wood in the oven.

"_Alright, time to get to work"_ Arthius thought

A few hours later, Arthius finished placing the fruits, cheeses, and freshly baked loafs of bread along the table on wooden plates. He placed a set of plates, dining ware, goblets, and fresh napkins along the table at each seat. He went back and tossed off his hood and mask before leaning against the archway, the only sound being the bubbling of the cauldron as it cooked the meat he had collected. After a few moments, he heard the knocking and quickly strode over to the hatch in the corner of the room, unlocking it and opening it to see the face of a young Nord boy. He had a worn out blue tunic along with a very old pair of pants, though he was clean. Arthius stared down at the boy for a moment before speaking.

"Did you make sure everyone washed up, Roggar?" Arthius asked. The boy nodded, glancing down for a moment. Arthius inspected him before nodding and stepping back. The boy climbed up and more children followed. They too had worn clothing, though not as much as him. He was twelve, the oldest among the other seven children. Following him was two younger Nord boys, one girl, a young Khajiit girl, a Breton girl just a bit younger than Roggar, and two Imperials, boy and girl who were the youngest. Arthius leaned back as he saw them quickly take their spots at the table, waiting for him as per the usual.

"Arthius?" the youngest girl said. Arthius glanced at her, raising his head.

"Yes, Selvia?" He asked. She was a small girl, brown eyes that matched her hair which was short, just above the shoulders. She wore a red tunic and a brown dress, which matched the boy's red tunic and brown pants.

"Did you bring any sweetrolls?" she asked with a small grin. Arthius did return the smile as he moved himself from the wall and walked inside the kitchen to grab a dish for the meat.

"I told you already, all of you, you need to eat right, and you can't be eating those kinds of things" he said in the kitchen, making sure only she saw him as he winked. She giggled slightly, making him smile widely before using a large wooden spoon to take out the meat from the cauldron and put it into a small pot which he brought to the table. He began preparing plates and handing them out to each of the patiently waiting children, placing a kiss on the side of the youngest girl's head as he went by. Once everyone was served, Arthius poured himself some whine and leaned against the arch, taking a small sip. He looked up to see the children just staring at him.

"Well then?" Arthius said before taking another sip. The children then dove into their meals, as it was probably the first they'd had today. Arthius sighed as he watched them, pausing as a voice came from above him.

"Can I join?" He heard the voice, the same one from in the alley. The kids almost immediately jumped from their chairs, but Arthius was quick on his feet.

"It's all right, she's a friend. Keep eating" Arthius said. The kids looked up, unable to see the source of the voice as they moved back to their seats. Arthius kept his eyes on the stairs as he prepared another plate, watching as the older girl descended the stairs. She was now wearing slightly similar clothing as he was, common thief look. Her red hair was now put in a neat bun behind her head. Arthius gave her a smile, the kind that looks kind from someone else's perspective, but was completely serious. The girl gave him a subtle nod before moving to the table and sitting down. She almost immediately stuffed a piece of bread in her mouth, scarfing it down quickly. Arthius sighed as he leaned against the arch, wondering how hungry she was. After a few moments of silence, it was the Khajiit girl who broke the silence.

"You're really pretty" she said softly to the older girl. There was a small pause before the other children broke into laughter.

Another hour later, the children slept in the attic as Arthius sat on the roof, staring at the night sky.

"So what's the deal?" The older girl asked as she sat beside him.

"You just steal food for the orphans, and that's it?" she asked. Arthius sighed as he stared at the night sky.

"If I want something, I'll steal it. But for the most part, yeah, that's it. I used to move around a lot, until I found a few kids just hiding in this house. After a while, the rest heard about it and it jumped from three to eight in no time" Arthius said. The girl looked at him before shaking her head.

"That's ridiculous. Why, I mean what made you do this?" she asked.

"Nothing made me, I just…I don't know. These kids need a home, and I think we can both relate" Arthius said. The girl sighed as she glanced around, watching the lights go off in the city.

"Thank you, and I think it's great what you're doing here. Just…be careful, those kids-"she paused before speaking again.

"You have to look out for them, so don't get killed by some girl in an alleyway. They need you, all right?" she said as she placed her hood over her head.

"About that" Arthius spoke. She turned to him, placing her mask over her face.

"What is it?" she asked. Arthius sighed deeply.

"I doubt that this will be the last of the kids, meaning that there's going to be more mouths to feed, meaning that it's going to be a lot more difficult to feed that many mouths, at least on my own anyways" Arthius said. The girl stared at him, paused as she thought about what he had said. She could see the smirk he had in the darkness though it didn't help her decide anytime sooner.

"All right, but just for a few days. I could do with the rest" The girl said. Arthius smiled as he stood, walking over to her and extending his hand.

"Arthius" He said with a genuine smile. The girl eyed him for a moment before taking off her mask and hood and shaking his hand.

"Rena"

**And that's part one. Really hope you guys enjoyed the look back into Arthius' story.**

**Only two chapters left, I'd like to thank every one of you who have read and even followed/favorite this story. **

**I'm also open to beta readers if you're interested.**

**HUGE shout out to BD99 for beta reading this chapter. If you haven't already, check out her epic stories, she's one of my biggest inspirations for writing this story.**

**Please leave a review and I promise to get back to you as soon as I can, also private message me anytime if you have any questions as I love to speak to you guys. **

**Thanks for reading.**


	24. What Happened in Cyrodiil Part Two

Arthius sighed as he rubbed his eyes, the early morning light barely breaking through the walls of the old house. He rolled his shoulders as he lied on the soft furs, his comfort begging him to stay. He looked down, knowing that his comfort wouldn't be alone in its attempts. He smiled down at Rena as she slept, arm around his waist as she rested her head on his chest. It had been about three years since he had met her, but it only took him a few weeks to fall in love with her, even though it took her months to return the feeling. He smirked as he carefully grabbed a large portion of her hair before quickly yanking her head up to him. She let out a yelp before her lips crashed into his. Arthius quickly placed his hands on her sides, slowly moving them down her waist. She smiled widely breaking the smile before roughly slapping Arthius across the face. Arthius smiled as he groaned, Rena quickly placing herself on top of him. Arthius just stared at the woman above him, eying every inch of her. Rena stared down at him with a small smile, chuckling slightly as she watched him admire her. She let her hair fall down to him, allowing him to quickly snatch it and nuzzle it as he always did. She smiled as she leaned down, closing her eyes as she kissed him slowly and passionately. After a few moments, she slowly broke the kiss and went back to lying beside him. She tightly wrapped her arm around him again as she nuzzled herself into him before looking up at him with a smile.

"Well good morning"

...

Arthius' voice paused as a small smile appeared on his face. Serana's mind immediately raced over to the memories of when they were passionate. What caught her mind more than anything else was the similarities between how he treated her and Rena. She simply disregarded it as just a habit. Arthius cleared his throat before continuing.

"As you can imagine, more kids came, a few left, and some of them…"

"STOP, THIEF!"

Arthius and Rena ran down the crowded alley as the guards screamed behind them, shoving anyone who got in their way. The evening sky was a reddish orange as they ran, using every shadow to their advantage.

"Why can't they ever say please?" Rena asked as they took a sharp turn. Arthius chuckled under his mask as he ducked under a sign.

"I suppose it's due to the fact that they aren't as sophisticated as we are, my dear" Arthius said. Rena smiled as she quickly shoved a kid aside who she couldn't avoid, almost laughing again. They quickly turned another corner into a dead end. Arthius and Rena paused as they looked around for a moment before hearing the guards appear behind them.

"Alright...hand over...the jewelry" the guard said. Arthius and Rena slowly turned, raising their hands, and revealing a pouch. Arthius sighed as he slowly took the pouch from his side and slowly handed it over to the guards. He then suddenly threw it high in the air, then leapt forward, planting each boot on a guard's chest. The third and last guard quickly unsheathed his sword and slashed down at Arthius on the ground, only to be parried by another blade. He looked up to see Rena wink behind her mask before quickly her boot and planting it in the guard's face. Afterwards, she helped Arthius up and they both quickly dashed off before the guards could collect themselves. The guards stumbled up to their feet before rushing after them. On the roof neighboring the alley, Roggar sat, looking at the reflection of each of the jewels as he pulled them out one by one.

...

"They became thieves?" Serana spoke, cutting off Arthius' thoughts. He looked at her a bit surprised by the outburst. He stared at her for a moment before sighing and sitting forward.

"No, I mean...not all of them. Rena and I did the heists but...some of them would find their own little tasks, pickpocketing and the like" Arthius said with a shrug. Arthius glanced over at Serana after a moment to see her staring at him.

"Look, this is the life we were given. Not all of us are born into royalty" Arthius said. Serana looked away from him, making Arthius sigh at what he had said.

"Serana-"Arthius began.

"No, I was wrong for judging. Please continue" Serana spoke. Arthius glanced at her for another moment before turning forward and continuing.

"Well, things were good. It was probably the first time I really felt I had a family…"

...

Arthius clashed his wooden sword against Roggar's in the alley. The walls were spread far enough for it to be a decent sized space for training. The sky was gray as rain clouds floated above. Roggar and Arthius circled each other, keeping eye contact the entire time. Roggar suddenly dashed forward, slashing down at Arthius. Arthius simply sidestepped before quickly spinning and backhanding Roggar across the face, sending him crashing to the stone floor. Arthius sighed as Roggar whimpered, holding his bleeding nose.

"I've told you before, do not make such an offensive attack if you don't have the means of landing the swing. If you do, you'll be wide open to anything the opponent wishes to throw at you" Arthius said as he crossed his arms. He heard a snicker and turned to see Rena smiling at him as she leaned against the wall.

"You're one to talk, don't you think?" she said with a smirk. Arthius thought back to their first encounter and how she had simply swept his feet out from under him after he had rushed her. Arthius simply shot her a ean look before turning back to Roggar in time to see him slashing across at his chest. Arthius quickly raised his sword and parried it to the side, taking a step back. Roggar continued forward, slashing with great force and making Arthius step further back with each attack. Arthius quickly glanced back to see how far they had gone, giving Roggar an opening. Roggar thrusted his sword forward at Arthius' chest with all his force, just as Arthius side stepped. Roggar fell forward, but came to a halt as Arthius sent his knee crashing into Roggar's exposed midsection. Roggar gagged as all the wind was knocked out of him, sending him limply falling to the ground. Arthius simply picked up Roggar's sword and began walking back down the alley. Rena eyed him as he walked towards her, keeping eye contact with him the entire time.

"Ready to go?" Arthius said as he held out his hand to her. Rena shot him a look before glancing back at Roggar as he fumbled while rolling to his back, gasping for air.

"What about him?" Rena asked.

"Well, I don't think he's in any shape to continue training so...drinks down at the inn?" Arthius said as he raised his brows. Rena shook her head as a smile appeared on her lips before pushing herself off the wall.

"Sounds good, I'm assuming you're paying?" she said with a smile as she placed her hand in his. Arthius raised her hand and kissed it as he stared into her eyes.

"Of course my love" Arthius whispered before wrapping his fingers around hers and began down the alley way.

...

"So, you're best example of the happy family was you beating a boy into submission and leaving him in an alleyway? Seems a bit twisted to me" Serana asked as she raised an eyebrow. Arthius chuckled loudly before looking over to her with a smile.

"Well, that was one of the best examples. That's how we did it, I would train him until he couldn't stand, and in return I'd teach him a bit more about thievery" Arthius said.

"I thought you said they didn't do jobs with you" Serana said. Arthius turned to her with a pursed lip.

"Well, I said not all of them. They're not really jobs just...tasks" Arthius said.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, remember that little girl that Rena pushed over while running through the crowd?" Arthius said with a small toothy grin. Serana's crossed her arms and tilted her head to the side as she stared at Arthius.

"So what, was she a distraction or…?" Serana asked.

"Well, we both had bags of jewelry, Rena and I, and I was the only one who threw a bag up to the roof" Arthius said. Serana sighed before nodding at Arthius, accepting what he said, and Arthius noticed this.

"Look...I wasn't how I am now, I'm different than-" Arthius began before Serana cut him off.

"It's your past Arthius, if it made you into who you are now then there's many people who would be grateful for it. Please, continue" Serana said as she looked at him. Arthius momentarily looked at her with a sort of sad glance before sighing and continuing.

"Anyways...after a big hull, I decided to do something...different…"

...

Rena grunted as her head slightly bounced, waking her from her sleep. She sighed as she rolled on to her back in the warm furs, reaching out for Arthius. She sighed as she remembered that he was driving the carriage. She slowly sat up in the back of the carriage which was covered up for sleeping quarters and put on her leather armor. She took a moment to get her balance before walking to the front and opening the curtains and wincing at the harsh sunlight. After her her eyes had adjusted she slowly smiled at the sight of Arthius in a simple blue tunic managing the reins as he glanced back at her before turning. She slowly went over the back of the seat and placed herself next to him, getting a smile from Arthius.

"Good to see you're awake, and that you seem ready to steal something so soon" Arthius said with a smile as he glanced down at her armor. Rena wrapped her arms around his head as she leaned in kissed him on the cheek before nuzzling into his shoulder.

"It's not like it's anything we almost there?" Rena asked. Arthius chuckled before placing a kiss on her forehead.

"Just about, my love, just about" Arthius said. After about another hour, they turned off the dirt path into a plot of land with a newly restored house in the middle. It was obviously an older house but now had fresh wood, it looked as good as new, if not better.

"Whose home is this?" Rena asked as she sat up.

"This, is the house I was raised in" Arthius signed with a small smile. Rena glanced at him for a moment before turning back to the house. She slowly got off the carriage and approached the building as Arthius smiled as he stared at the house. Rena slowly opened the door, revealing a large room. The entire house was refurbished, from the rugs to the chandelier. Rena glanced around the large room, noticing the large bed with a bundle of Nightshade spread through the velvet sheets. Rena paused as she stared at the bed, slowly sensing Arthius approach behind her. As she felt him stand behind her and begin to wrap his arms around her.

"So…" she began.

"This is our home, once we finish with whatever it is we're doing, this will be our home" Arthius said as he leaned into her neck. Rena stood, staring at the room in front of her, feeling the warmth of Arthius on her neck.

"Arthius" Rena spoke. Arthius sighed, swallowing a lump in his throat before raising his head.

"Yes?" He asked. Rena turned to him slowly, eying him carefully with sealed lips.

"Is this what you want? To settle down, to stop this adventurous life, to just be...normal?" Rena asked. Arthius glanced down, mulling over what she had said for a few moments. He glanced back up at her with a sigh, looking her over for a few moments before slowly parting his lips.

...

Serana sat patiently, waiting for Arthius to continue, though he was just staring off into space.

"Arthius" Serana spoke, making Arthius turn to her.

"Would you like to continue?" She asked with a caring glance. Arthius paused before he slowly nodded.

...

"Rena, I want this, and I want you, more than any treasure in the world" Arthius smiled. Rena shut her eyes, slowly shaking her head for a moment before opening her eyes and looking back at him.

"If you bring me down this path, just...don't stray from it, because I don't think I would be able to manage that" Rena said as she stared into his eyes. Arthius slowly put his hand up, placing his palm on her cheek.

"I promise" Arthius said, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. Rena stared at him for a few more moments before slowly nodding. She slowly leant in, putting her lips to his. Arthius moved inside the house, slowly closing the door behind himself.

...

Serana watched carefully, noticing Arthius come to a complete hault. She watched as he froze in a way unlike any time before, almost shuddering to watch.

"Anyways...she was someone I cared about very much. And I know if something were to happen to her, then I would feel the same if I would allow anything to happen to ...please, I'll ask you once more to-"

"Finish it" Serana said coldly. Arthius glanced at her, seeing her expression was now serious.

"What?" He asked.

"I said, finish it. That's not the end and we both know it" Serana said. Arthius gave a small but forced chuckle as he stared at her. After a moment, Serana spoke up again as she stared fiercely into Arthius' eyes.

"Tell me about when she died, Arthius" Serana said with a slightly calmer voice. Arthius stared at her, not in the frozen state he was in before. After a moment, the corners of his lips slowly curved upwards into a toothy smile. Arthius snickered a moment before turning, after a moment he chuckled. A few seconds passed and Arthius began chuckling, slowly raising his voice until it was laughter. Arthius continued laughing, barely stopping to take in a breath. Serana watched, a bit disturbed by his reaction. Arthius began laughing hysterically, holding his sides as he doubled over in the spot he was sitting in. Serana hesitated before slowly raising her hand and moving to him, hoping to comfort him. His laughter stopped as he quickly pushed himself up and stormed out of the tent. Serana quickly got up and followed him out, pausing as she was met with many faces outside the tent. She cursed under her breath, unsure how much the group heard. She glanced around quickly before spotting Arthius going around the cliffside into a bend. Serana made her way past the crowd and followed him around the bend. Arthius had his forehead on the wall as he stared at the ground, his breath was now rapid, as though he was panicking. As Serana thought of what to say, Arthius spoke up in a cynical tone.

"Is this what you wanted, the reason you wanted to learn about my past was to get the details about what could have caused my rage? Don't misinterpret what I mean by those words, I understand. I myself would have snuck around, asked about, found out on my own of someone's past if it interested me so much" Arthius spoke before turning to face Serana. Serana froze as she saw his eyes. She knew she would hit a nerve, but this was something else. There were many different emotions going off in his mind at once, Serana had no idea to which one she should react to. It seemed as though he about to shatter at the same time he would slaughter her and the rest of the camp while still seeming as though he's mocking her. Serana simply looked back at him, being careful not to do anything that might set him off.

"But there's a difference between us. You see, when I notice that someone's past is dark, I'll just assume or look for other means of information, I did it with you and I'm content. What I don't do, IS TRY AND FORCE THEM TO TELL ME ABOUT IT" Arthius screamed as he moved towards her. Serana stood her ground as she stared Arthius down.

"I understand this isn't a topic you'd like to discuss, but there's a reason you began this story, and I doubt you were planning on ending it there" Serana said. Arthius clenched his fist as he tore his gaze away from her and back to the wall. He shook his head before sighing deeply, glaring at the wall as he did. He then spun back to Serana, with a much calmer expression.

"If you'd like to take some time before continuing I-" Serana began.

"We're killing your father, and stopping this prophecy. After that, we're done. Do not speak to me, and if I see you after today, you're just another vampire to slay" Arthius said before moving past her and around the bend to the camp.

Serana simply stared at the wall, thrown off at what Arthius had said as the cold wind blew. She was ready for Arthius to snap, but this was different. Serana wondered if he meant what he had said, though she couldn't believe it to be true. She glanced at the edge of the wall awkwardly, as if hoping to see Arthius come back around the bend. A gust of wind blew, bringing her out of her state as she finally turned and walked around the bend. She was immediately met with cold looks from a few of the Dawngaurd members and Vilkas, Farkas seemed to be making himself look busy with something else, and Aela simply looked away whenever she would meet her gaze. Serana simply sighed and walked towards the tent, not caring what the others had to think about her or the situation. She smirked as this thought went through her head.

"_Now I'm thinking straight"_ she thought.

As she opened a flap, she glanced around, seeing Arthius looking across the water at it's edge as Agmaer was saying to him. Serana wondered if she might be able to listen in on them from this distance, but disregarded the idea as eavesdropping wasn't going to solve their problems. Serana entered the tent, closing the flaps behind herself. She rubbed her brow as she sat, knowing all too well that she would be left to nothing but her own thoughts. The first obviously being if she had been too upfront about Arthius' past.

"_No, no it wasn't too upfront. He had a reason to his story, but he just can't reach it yet. But...that's because of the pain near the end" _Serana laid her head in her palm as the thought of forcing Arthius to his darkest place for her own gain held itself in her mind.

"_Damn, I was wrong, but...not in every way. Though it's true that it was his past and his story to tell, it was him who included me to his past. Yes, he chose to let me into his past, only for me to throw it in his face when it became difficult" _Serana sighed heavily, placing her hood over her head before lying down on the roll, hoping that sleep would relieve her of her own thoughts.

_The courtyard was filled, the crowd surrounding her as her father raised the blade to her throat. Serana cringed as she watched her other self before her allow him, almost eager for him to continue. As she watched, her father's head contorted as he leaned towards her, staring into her golden eyes with his own. His lips met hers as his head finished its morphing. Arthius closed his eyes as he pressed the blade against her throat, slowly bringing it across. The crimson liquid spilled from her, covering the blade and Arthius' hand. _

Serana pushed herself from the roll, she almost sank in the snow as she pushed fiercely into the ground to get away from the bedroll. She stayed there, propped up on her elbows, staring at the bedroll as though it had just attempted to kill her. It wasn't for another few moments before she noticed Arthius looking down at her from the front of the tent with a concerned face.

"Bad dreams, I've my share" Arthius said calmly. Serana stared at him, thinking back to his night terrors he suffered after being cured. Serana slowly nodded at him, slowly readjusting into a more comfortable position. Arthius sighed before sitting next to her in the snow, the wind being the only sound. She sat staring ahead, choosing to avoid looking at him as she was still cautious about him.

"It was a captain, a new captain fresh out, wanting to do whatever it took to rise in the ranks. He had heard about us, the supposed thieve's guild of the capital. He threatened lives, lives that weren't his to use...she said it was something she had to do. I- it was as though I wanted him to kill them but- how could I just let her- SHE DIDN'T GIVE ME A CHOICE DAMN IT!" Arthius said frustrated before putting his head in his hands. Serana immediately reached over and took his hand in hers as she turned to him.

"You can stop, and I'm sorry" Serana said softly. Arthius squeezed her hand slightly before raising his head.

"I wasn't much not too long ago, nothing much to myself anyways. This journey has been, idiotic, hurtful, and possibly the largest test of my patience, but I don't regret it" Arthius said before turning to Serana with a serious expression.

"You've spoken of hardships, but from what I understand, regret is not one of them. Don't do anything that will cause it, because I live with it everyday and it's not simple to live with, this isn't something you have to do" Arthius spoke

"Arthius, it's not about it being something that has to be done, but it's something that I must do, because me not doing it is what will cause the most regret I can think of" Serana said in a strong tone. Arthius slightly smiled as he closed his eyes, almost chuckling at how easily she turned his own words against him. He slowly stood, opening his eyes and holding his hand out.

"Well then, the boats are waiting" Arthius said with a calm tone. Serana nodded before taking his hand and standing. They walked outside to see seven boats and a larger ship at the head. Arthius and Serana took a small paddle boat over to the ship and climbed the rope ladder that hung from the side of it just in time to hear Aela shouting something.

",,,noble companions have far more experience in battle then a whelp like yourself, let a warrior take command less you wish to die with your troops!" She yelled in Agmaer's face.

"Or, you can back down before I personally gag you and throw you over the side of the damn ship. Now I don't give a damn what you or your Nordic brothers and sisters of Skyrim have to say, I'm in command of these men and I'd sooner die than have a mutt like you bark orders at me, so sit down and shut your damn mouth!" Agmaer shouted with confidence. Aela kept her ground for a moment, a shudder escaping from her as she did, before slowly turning and sitting beside the railing. Arthius almost chuckled as he approached Agmaer. As he saw Arthius approach, his kind smile reappeared on his face.

"Ready to go?" Agmaer said as he glanced past Arthius at Serana and back to Arthius.

"As ready as we can be" Arthius said. Agmaer nodded to him before shouting back at the other boats. Arthius turned, looking at the men in the ship, noticing that the twins were aboard as well. Arthius glanced at them both as they looked back at him. Vilkas simply scowled at him before putting his head down. Farkas looked to his brother before looking back at Arthius and giving him a nod. Arthius returned it before turning back to the front of the ship. He stared across the water, the thick fog obscuring his vision. Through it, he could make out the castle, and the lights that were shining from it. He reached back and ran his hand across the bow that was now strapped to him along with his sword and shield. He turned to Serana beside him, seeing her stare with him at her old home. Arthius sighed as he closed his eyes, all noise blocking out as he readied himself. He then slowly opened his eyes as he felt the boat began to move beneath him.

_Let it begin._

**I'm really looking forward to the finale and I hope you all enjoy what I have planned. I'm hoping to have it out on Christmas or December 25th for those of other cultures, depending on how this chapter does. **

**Please leave a review and be sure to Message me anytime for questions. I honestly love speaking to my readers.**

**Thanks for reading.**


	25. Something To Fight For

**Quick Note: I'd like to apologize for this chapter being uploaded later than it should have been but I ended up writing four different endings. All my thanks will be at the end. **

Arthius gripped the railing as the ship moved forward, sinking into the thick fog. He slowly inhaled, the cold, thick air filling his nostrils as he stared ahead into the nothingness of the fog. After a moment, he turned to look at Serana as she stared boldly ahead, staring at the castle without even being able to see it. Arthius grinned slightly at this, rolling his head slightly as he felt his eagerness for the battle. He turned away from the railing and approached Agmaer.

"We have the troops set up as we discussed earlier?" Arthius asked. Agmaer crossed his arms, nodding to him.

"A mage with great skill in Restoration magic in each boat, a few trained archers, and the rest footmen" Agmaer confirmed. Arthius nodded as he began to turn around, pausing before turning back to Agmaer.

"Do you know if any of them have a large fear of dragons?" Arthius asked. Agmaer was thrown off by his question, looking bewildered at the mention of it. Arthius sighed as he waved Agmaer off before walking back to the front of the ship.

Arthius approached Serana as she stared into the fog. He put his hands on the railing beside her, staring out as she did.

"So...how are we planning on doing this?" Serana spoke. Arthius kept his gaze straight ahead, waiting a moment before speaking.

"Well assuming we get close enough to start loading troops off the ship, we're planning to take the majority though the gates as the rest cut us an opening, once inside we-" Arthius was cut off as a loud whirring sound beckoned the sound of an incoming object. Through the fog above roared a mighty flaming ball.

"MAGES!" Arthius shouted. From the other boats came forward the mages he requested to raise large wards. Fireballs roared from the skies, impacting the wards and shaking the boats as they smashed against the magical barriers. Arthius grabbed Serana and pulled her back from the front of the ship as a fireball crashed down before them, engulfing the front of the ship in flame. Arthius rushed forward, looking over the ship's side and preparing his thu'um.

"_Fo Krah Diin" _Arthius shouted, sending a wave of frost across the flames. He was then grabbed by the back of his collar and pulled back over the railing, turning to see Serana nod to him before turning back forward. He could hear the water crashing ahead of him, signaling their distance to the shore. Arthius turned back, seeing the heavily damaged ships that followed theirs. He quickly rushed past the companions as they readied themselves to the back of the ship.

"READY TO DOCK!" Arthius shouted to the warriors behind him. He turned back to the front of the boat and rushed forward, gripping the railing once more as he readied for impact. A moment later, the bottom of the boat made impact with the sand underneath the surface and it slowly came to a stop. The sound of the other boats ceasing their sails and coming to a stop came suddenly. Arthius paused for a moment as the other warriors came rushing out of their boats to the island. He heard behind him as the others rushed off the ship, only the tug at his arm from Serana woke him from his trance. She nodded to him and he nodded back, eyeing Agmaer making his way down the side of the ship on the ladder. Arthius and Serana followed, stepping into the shallow water at the shore before turning with the group towards the castle. As they went forward, the fog gave them nothing to see, as though a thick cloud blocked the two groups from eachother. It was then that the sound of something coming went through the air. The group paused for a moment before Arthius immediately raised his shield, pulling Serana down behind it. The sound of shattering came down upon them as ice spikes rained from the skies. Arthius held his shield firm as the spikes exploded on the other side of it. The sounds of shattering and the grunts of men and women filled the air. After what appeared to be hours, the shattering ceased. Arthius slowly rose, holding his sword high, unsure of who was still standing. He took in a deep breath before roaring as he charged forward. The screams and shouts behind him muffled the noise of clattering weapons and footsteps as they charged forward. Arthius felt the rocky pathway below him as he broke through the fog and the castle stood before him, guarded by vampires and gargoyles all down the entry way. the vampires readied themselves as they summoned spells as the gargoyles charged forward.

"MAGES, CAST WARDS AROUND US!" Agmaer shouted behind him, the ward quickly covered them as bolts of lightning and spikes crashed against it.

"Buy me a moment Agmaer, I need to prepare something" Arthius said back to Agmaer. He nodded back to Arthius before calling men to the front of the ward, including the twins. The group rushed forward, colliding with the gargoyles as they entered the magical barrier. Arthius stood back, staring at the walkway up to the gate, preparing his thu'um.

_Here's hoping it's big enough_ he thought.

_Dur Neh Viir _

Arthius shouted. The floor on the walkway opened up, sending many vampires falling inside of it. The hole emitted a purple aura as the roar of a dragon shot through the air. Most of the vampires froze as they stared at the hole, as did some of the soldiers as they prepared their bows. Suddenly a massive dragon soared from the hole into the sky, the force blowing back some of the vampires that stood nearby. The soldiers gazed in both fear and amazement as the dragon soared through the air. Serana gripped Arthius' wrist, getting his attention.

"Arthius, isn't that-" She began.

"Yes, and now he's our ally, I'll explain later but I think we should focus on the task at hand" Arthius said as he stepped forward. "Durnehviir!" He shouted. The mighty dragon slowed itself, flying in one place as it looked down at Arthius.

"It is good to be free Dovahkiin, how may I aid you" The dragon spoke. The vampires and soldiers alike stared as they heard him speak. Arthius smirked as he met the dragon's eyes.

"What you do best" Arthius said as he raised his sword once more. Durnehhviir roared loudly before turning and facing the vampires that stood on the pathway to the gate.

_Diil Qoth Zaam_

Durnehviir shouted, summoning the skeletal warriors from the soul cairn which immediately attacked the vampires. Arthius smiled before roaring again as he charged forward. The men hesitated but followed Agmaer as they charged with him. Arthius charged forward colliding his shield against a vampire that was distracted by a boneman. He heard impact around him as the two groups finally collided. He stepped over the knocked down vampire as he raised his shield, bashing into another before stabbing forward, cutting through its stomach. He turned in the crowd to the right, blocking a slash down from another vampire's axe. He was able to push it back, just for it to be shot through the chest with an ice spike. Arthius turned to his right to see Serana give him as small nod before she was engaged by another vampire. Arthius turned back to feel his energy be sapped by him. He quickly dashed forward, ramming into the vampire and stabbing it once it was down.

The two groups were now scattered, the entirety of the front side of the island was a mix of vampires fighting soldiers, soldiers fighting vampires, ice spikes impaling men and women as arrows rained down on creatures of the night. Arthius ducked a swing before thrusting his sword up into the side of the vampire. It hissed down at him as it raised it axe once more. it was then struck across the face by Serana, sending it collapsing to the ground. Arthius smiled at her as she glanced around. He then turned, meeting back to back with her once more.

"So, any sign of Agmaer?" Arthius asked. Serana grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him down as a spike soared overhead.

"No, haven't seen him in the bustle" Serana said. Arthius forced Serana down as he braced for a charging vampire. He quickly grappled it, sending it over his shoulder and landing on its back in front of Serana. It scowled at her before she quickly stabbed down through the throat. Arthius yanked her back to her feet, keeping his shield in front of her as he did.

"It's time we move in, we have to find him and his group, come on" Arthius said. Serana turned and followed him as they made their way through the crowd. Arthius kept his shield up, slashing any vampires that came near him as Serana shot as many as she could as they went through. Arthius finally spotted Agmaer and his men further up the entrance way. He quickly charged forward, slicing down a vampire that one of his men had been struggling with. The sounds of clashing and shouting intensified as Arthius grabbed Agmaer by the shoulder. Agmaer turned to him quickly, ready to swing. His face immediately changed from one of intensity to one of calmness.

"Arthius, are we ready?" Agmaer yelled over the loud surrounding. Arthius nodded, glancing back at Serana. She stared forward at the castle, and Arthius wasn't sure what was going through her mind at that point. He turned back to Agmaer as he readied his men. Arthius motioned towards Serana to ready herself as he prepared for their charge inside. Suddenly he heard a crash and his vision was obscured as the Gargoyles sprang to life beside them. The group was crashed into by two of the beasts, sending two of the soldiers over the side of the walkway. Arthius was able to peer an eye open to see a Gargoyle tackle him. His back collided with the small stone railing on the side of the walkway. Arthius grabbed the beast by it's throat, struggling to keep it's fangs away from himself. An ice spike sank into its back and partially stuck out its front. Arthius turned the beast and dragged it over the railing to fall. He turned back to serana as she was knocked down by another Gargoyle.

_Wuld_

Arthius shouted, sending him forward and sinking his blade deep into the throat of the beast. It collapsed to its side with a huff as Serana stared up at Arthius. He quickly helped her to her feet as he quickly scanned for Agmaer. He spotted him pulling a Gargoyle off of a dead soldier and stabbing it in the back. Arthius quickly grabbed him by the shoulder and spun him around.

"Agmaer, we need to go, let the rest of the men handle these with the dragon" Arthius said over the sounds of battle. Agmaer hesitated for a moment before nodding and grabbing a few other men. Arthius turned back to Serana and nodded to her as he rushed towards the front doors of the castle. He quickly grabbed the handle and pulled, to no success. He inhaled as he took a step back, preparing himself.

_Fus Ro Dah_

Arthius shouted, sending the doors flying inwards. He wobbled a bit and went down on a knee as the soldiers from Agmaer's group as well as the twins rushed inside. Serana knelt down and placed her hands on Arthius' shoulders.

"Are you alright?" she asked with a worried expression. Arthius quickly nodded as he slowly stood up.

"I'm fine, don't worry about me, we've come too far to start worrying now" Arthius said s he pushed himself on. Serana watched for a moment before quickly following him inside the castle. Serana paused as her eyes adjusted to the indoors, spotting a soldier being shot through the chest and falling from the balcony. She heard screams and the sounds of both the sounds of fire and ice from within the mess hall. She quickly rushed forward, overlooking the large room to see the head vampires engaging the many soldiers that charged them. From across the room, she watched as Agmaer and a few of his men fought Orthjolf. She looked down to see Arthius in fierce battle with Garen, another one of her father's members. She quickly rushed down the steps, blasting an ice spike into one of the blood hounds as it tore apart another soldier. She was blocked off as the crowd swarmed around her as she moved towards the two, and she had no choice but fight alongside the other warriors until she reached them. Arthius ducked a swing from the mace and quickly sprang, attempting to cut down the vampire. A spike of ice shot from its' hand, forcing Arthius to raise his he did, a bloodhound flanked him from the side, causing Arthius to raise his sheild as the hound bounced off of it. Arthius quickly stabbed down through it as he began to turn back to the vampire. The vampire rushed him, almost immediately after the hound had been dispatched of and bashed into Arthius with unnatural strength. Arthius was sent back, slamming into the wall. His shield was knocked aside and he was quickly grabbed by the throat, the sheer force of the cold, stone-like hand against his throat made him gag. The Dunmer hissed at him as it pressed down on his throat.

"I've existed in this world far longer than any of your ancestors even set foot on-" Garen paused as he quickly grabbed Arthius' wrist as it swung at him with his sword. The elf grinned wickedly at Arthius before sending electricity through his arm. Arthius screamed, dropping the blade. The sword clunked on to the ground, making Arthius wildly attempt to place his foot over it in an attempt to bring it towards him. The elf pressed against his throat even harder before kicking the sword sending it sliding away. Arthius readied his thu'um for a moment, but before he could open his mouth, he felt his own building thu'um evaporate. He felt his own breath and energy escape with it, leaving him almost limp in the elf's hand. The elf kept its eyes on Arthius as it watched his life force slowly drain, savoring the kill.

"As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, I've existed on this world far longer than any of your ancestors even set foot on-" He was cut short quite literally as Arthius' blade quickly slashed down from his nape to the front of his throat, sending his head rolling down in front of him. Arthius gasped as he sank down, as did the elf in front of him. He glanced up to see Serana staring down at her hands with a pained expression, and he glanced down to see his blade at her feet. Arthius quickly realized the situation and stumbled up, grabbing the back of her hands and turning them towards him. He flinched at the sight of the searing flesh on her hands.

"So, does this mean we're even for the times you stopped the mutts?" Serana said with a small smile, though Arthius could see the pain behind it. Arthius sighed as he shook his head, pulling out a healing potion and a rag,tearing it in two and dousing them in the liquid. Without warning, Arthius grabbed her wrists and wrapped each piece tightly around each. Serana cringed as a small whimper came out, though the pain slowly faded as she felt the liquids cool her burns. Arthius quickly reached down and picked up his sword, inspecting it.

"Damn Meridia. Are you able to cast spells?" Arthius asked. Serana attempted to summon an ice spike as she stared down at her hands, pulling her head back as an ice spike shot out. Serana stared at the ceiling at the ice spike that almost took her head off, slowly looking back down at Arthius.

"Y-yes, I can still cast spells" she said hesitantly. After a moment she glanced over at him suddenly.

"What's wrong with you?" she asked. Arthius paused as he stared at her, quickly glancing to the side to see another hound charge at them. He quickly stepped in front of Serana, stabbing down through the hound in midair as it lunged at her. The beast whined for a moment before lying still. Arthius pulled his sword out and turned towards the staircase leading further into the castle.

"Come on" Arthius said as he began towards the stairs. Serana sighed, hoping to question him later. She quickly hurried after him as he ascended the staircase. Orthjolf roared as Agmaer's axe sank into his chest. He shakily raised his hands to Agmaer's head, tightening them around his throat. Agmaer growled before putting his boot on Orthjolf's stomach and pushing him back, yanking the axe from the vampire's chest. Orthjolf screamed as he was pushed back, barely catching himself. He looked up just in time to see the front of Agmaer's axe approach him once more before it sank deep in between his eyes. Orthjolf was still before Agmaer ripped the axe from the vampire's skull, leaving a bloody chasm going down his face as he collapsed. Arthius glanced at the scene on the balcony as he ascended the steps, chuckling as he reached the top of the steps. As he turned the corner, he heard a whizzing sound through the air before whatever was sent made impact. Arthius turned to see the high elf standing down the corridor, holding his hand out towards the opening that lead to the balcony. Another ice spike flew, digging deep into Agmaer's chest as the one before had. He was sent over the railing and crashed through the table below. Arthius stared at the elf as a small smile appeared on its' face as it caught sight of Arthius.

"I suppose I should have thanked him for ridding me of that pest at last" The elf said. Arthius clenched the sword in his hands, his arm shaking as he firmly squeezed the handle. As he began to take a step forward, the elf summoned a spell in his hand that Arthius recognized, but just didn't expect. His mind wiped clean of rage and immediately filled with the thought of the vampire standing to his right. With the shield in his left hand, he held it in front of them as e turned to her and shielded her with his body as he heard blast coming at them. The force knocked him and Serana to the ground as the heat tinged his hairs. Serana gagged as the flames of the fireball seemed to yank the breath from her. Arthius rose and turned to the elf to meet another fireball directly. He quickly rose his shield before being blasted back again. Serana hesitated as she rose behind Arthius, attempting to ready an ice spike. Another fireball was shot at her and Arthius lunged forward to cut it off, draining his strength as he took shot after shot of the spell. As Arthius' back bumped into Serana after another shot she scowled at the elf.

"Using fire against your own kind?" Serana growled before Arthius shoved her back as another blast shot impact knocked Arthius to the ground, leaving Serana defenseless as she stared at the elf.

"You blind child, you expect me too much of me" The elf said as he raised his hand in Serana's direction. he smirked as another fireball readied in his hand, then quickly turned around and fired as Vilkas charged at him. The nord dove to the side as the blast came at him, exploding where he once stood and launching him into the wall. The elf turned around as he heard footsteps and quickly ducked a swing from Serana's dagger. He quickly raised his hand, landing a blow in her stomach. Serana gagged before being grabbed by the throat and picked up. She dangled, breathless as the elf held her in place.

"Come now, getting close in hopes I would avoid using the spell?" He smirked before squeezing her throat once more before throwing her back as he prepared another fireball in his other hand. Serana landed in a heap, a small smile appearing on her face.

_Yol Toor Shul_

The elf turned to be engulfed in the flame, screaming as it burned his flesh. Arthius stood, panting as he stared at the elf burn. It dropped to its' knees as it burned, shaking for a few moments. Suddenly, he screamed as he lunged forward with its sword which was now blackened by the flame. Serana shot a spike into it, sending it stumbling back. The elf gagged as it prepared a fireball, raising it's hand at the fallen Serana. Vilkas then sent his sword through the elf's back, sinking it completely through the elf until the hilt met its' back. The elf gagged as it was slowly lifted with the blade into the air, its' feet dangling as it was slowly being lifted inch by inch. He felt like he was in the air for an eternity but was only off the ground for a few seconds before Vilkas roughly shook him off the blade and onto the ground where he lied still. Arthius helped a winded Serana back to her feet, keeping an eye on Vilkas out of the corner of his eye. Once she was on her feet Arthius turned to face Vilkas with a cold expression , keeping Serana behind him. As Vilkas looked up, he paused as he caught Arthius' glance. Even with the chaos surrounding them there seemed to be a sudden silence as they stared, just for a moment before Vilkas turned away.

"Get in there and finish the job, I'll tend to the boy" Vilkas said as he walked away, turning the corner and descending the steps into the crowd below. Arthius watched him until he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked back at Serana as she stared at him.

"Come on, we have to go end this" She spoke. Arthius sighed as he nodded to her before following her to a gated off doorway that lead into the cathedral. As they entered, a sudden chill went through Arthius as the scene set out before him. The floors were scattered with bones as a carpet, torn apart by time led to the steps of what seemed to be some sort of fountain, filled to the brim with blood. A figure stood beside it, basked in the shadows.

"Serana, my darling" A voice spoke from it, causing Serana to clench onto her dagger as the two of them stepped forward. "I see you still favor keeping a pet" Serana took a few steps forward before stopping, keeping her hand on her dagger as she did.

"You know why we're here" she spoke. Arthius could see that she was holding back, unsure if it was rage or fear, but he knew she was holding in something. The figure emerged from the shadows, slowly walking to the front of the fountain as he ran his hand across its edge.

"Of course I do" He said as he put his hands behind himself "You truly disappoint me, Serana. You've taken everything I've provided for you and thrown it all away for this...pathetic being" Harkon said coldly, as though he was simply scolding his daughter for getting herself into trouble.

"Provided for me? Are you insane?" Serna said. She kept her cool as she spoke, but Arthius was ready to step in once he saw it right to do so. "You've destroyed our family. You've killed other vampires. All over some prophecy that we barely understand. but no more. I'm done with you" She said as she pulled out her dagger. Arthius stood back, keeping his eyes firmly on Harkon. "You will not touch him!"

Harkon seemed a bit amused at this as he crossed his arms, watching her for a moment before speaking.

"Serana, my daughter, your voice drips with the venom of your mother's influence. How alike you've become" Harkon said with a small smile.

"No...because unlike her I'm not afraid of you, not anymore" Serana spoke with a small growl as she prepared an ice spike in her other hand. the corner of Harkon's lip twitched for a moment before it spread into a smile. Arthius slowly reached back for the bow as Harkon spoke.

"How truly alike the two of you have become. Those were the same exact words she used when we found her in the Soul Cairn " Harkon spoke. At once, it seemed the world had stopped. The room had gone dead silent, even with the chaos ensuing outside the doors not a single sound was made. Arthius' hand twitched as it grazed the bow. He stared at Harkon and could hear the sound of Serana' spike fade from her hand.

"Where is she?" Serana said, Arthius snapped back to reality as he reached and firmly took the bow in his hand. Harkon smirked as he slowly took a few steps back, walking to one of the small arcs beside the fountain and reaching down pulling out a bound and beaten Valerica. Arthius felt his breath increase as he looked at the vampire. Her face was swollen and bruised, a dry trail of blood ran down the side of her head to her now torn and bloody royal wear that matched Serana's. Her features were cold and clammy, even for a vampire and she looked as though she couldn't stand. Harkon held her by the collar as he slowly brought her forward. Her eyes were sunken and it was clear that she had lost her strength long ago.

"Mother!" Serena cried as she stepped forward, pausing as Harkon firmly pulled Valerica to him and putting his hand on her throat.

"Really Serana, did you think I wouldn't know my daughter had returned to my castle? This is my home Serana, and nothing enters or leaves without my knowing of it" He said firmly as he tightened his grip on her throat.

"Father, please, don't hurt her" Serana said as she put her hand up. Arthius cursed under his breath as he slowly released his grip on the bow. He had them, with all the planning and everything they did, he simply had them now. He couldn't imagine what Serana was feeling right now, and the last thing he wanted was to do something stupid. Arthius fought back the urges to step forward, make a move, but he could slowly feel the temptation rising inside of him. As he glared at Harkon, the small movement beside of the vampire took his notice as he saw Valerica's chest slowly rise, much pain being expressed as she did. Arthius sighed as the fight faded from him, concentrating back on Harkon.

Harkon smirked at his daughter as he slowly slid his hand across Valerica's throat.

"I will say this once, daughter. Relinquish the bow to me, that's all I ask of you" Harkon spoke. Arthius glanced at Serana as she glanced at him. For a moment, he could see the desperation in her eyes before she turned back to her father.

"No...no, not after what-" Serana began but was cut off by her father.

"YOU WILL GIVE ME THE BOW OR WATCH YOUR MOTHER SLAIN BEFORE YOU! Now, give the bow to me" Harkon spoke, his voice demanding authority and obedience. Serana stood still, Arthius stared at her, unsure of what she would say. Slowly she turned back to Arthius, her head to the floor as she did.

"Arthius...give me the bow" Serana said, defeated. Arthius clenched his fist as he glared at Harkon before he looked back to Serana.

"No, I'm not going to give up the bow, Serana" Arthius spoke coldly.

"Arthius, I'm not asking you to give me your opinion, give me the bow" she said.

"And then what? Have you thought it through, Serana? What happens when we give him the bow?" Arthius said.

"That doesn't matter at the moment, Arthius. We can-" Serana began.

"No, we can't, because I'm not giving the bow to him" Arthius said.

"Arthius, my mother-" She began again.

"Your mother made me promise to protect you and that's exactly-" It was his turn to be disrupted.

"I don't care what you think is protecting me...but making me watch her die…" Serana stopped. She looked up at Arthius, revealing the broken expression she wore. Arthius couldn't help it, he just couldn't stand it. He slowly reached back and took the bow from its place, squeezing it before bringing it in front of him. As Serana reached for it, they heard a crackle before something impacted flesh. They turned to see Valerica holding her palm to her chest, where an ice spike was now sticking out of. She gagged for a moment before collapsing to the floor. Harkon cursed loudly as he turned to face the two. Serana gagged, trying to speak, choking on her own words as she shakily began walking towards her mother.

"GIVE ME THE BOW!" Harkon screamed as charged at them, morphing in an explosion of darkness as he did. Arthius grabbed Serana and threw her aside before turning and bracing himself as Harkon rammed into him. Arthius was sent back, gaining his balance and rolling. He landed on his feet, quickly pulling a sun hollowed arrow that the snow elf had given him and plucking it on the string as Harkon charged. He fired, catching Harkon in the shoulder. An explosion of light came from the arrow, burning Harkon. He screamed before backing up, now entirely in the form of the beast. Arthius took the moment to rush over to Serana as she kneeled on one of the staircases on the sides of the room.

"Serana, come on" Arthius said, glancing back as Harkon began raising skeletons.

"Arthius...my mother…" Serana said weakly.

"We can deal with that later, right now we have to fight" Arthius demanded.

"But, I can't-" Serana began. Arthius roughly grabbed her by the back of her collar and hoisted her up, turning her to face him.

"We did not do everything we did, what your mother fought so hard for, just for us to sit down and cry like damn children. Now pick yourself up and fight, I need you!" Arthius yelled. Serana froze for a moment, staring at Arthius a bit shaken before slowly nodding. Arthius released her and turned around with another arrow in his quiver, shooting a skeleton's skull off it's body. The head flew back into another skeleton before exploding and destroying it as well. Serana slowly caught her breath as she wiped the tears from her eyes. She glared at her father for a moment before turning to Arthius as he fought. She summoned and ice spike in her hand and fired it at one of the skeletons as she moved up the stairs, firing as she went up. Arthius shot another skeleton before turning the bow sideways and blocking a downward swing from an armored skeleton's war axe. He raised his boot and kicked it hard in the stomach, sending it toppling back. Arthius put the bow away as he pulled out his sword and shield before charging at the creature. He ducked a swing before thrusting his sword out, stabbing the skeleton through the center and jerking his sword across its' side. He rose to thrash his shield out to an oncoming sword, knocking it behind the skeleton and leaving it exposed as Arthius cut its' head off.

Harkon stood atop the walkways over Arthius, glaring down as he summoned a life drain spell in his hand. He quickly leaned back to avoid an ice spike. He turned to see the cold glare of his daughter directed at him.

"You will not take anyone else from me" Serana growled. Harkon boiled as he roared, backing up as he shot spell after spell at his daughter, gliding by the ice spikes she sent at him. Serana paced quickly across her side of the balcony as she shot, wincing as every few shots would graze her. She allowed one to strike her as she took aim, firing an ice spike that landed in Harkon's arm. Harkon screamed as he was engulfed in bats, moving toward her at a rapid pace. Serana fired at the swarm but to no prevail as he suddenly appeared beside her. Serana turned, pulling out her dagger only to be struck across the face. Her back collided with the barricade before she was grabbed by the throat. She winced as the pressured was put on her neck, slowly opening her eyes to the glaring Harkon. He roughly through her back, sending her toppling over the railing. Serana caught herself, dangling as she held on to the railing. She quickly glanced down, gasping at how much further the ground seemed from where she was. She looked back up to see her father raising his hand once more, summoning a spell as he looked down at her. Suddenly he growled as an arrow sunk into his shoulder, sending him toppling back before it exploded. Serana sighed as she heard Arthius below her.

"Drop down, I've got you" He said. Serana released the railing, falling for a moment before being caught in the waist. She gave Arthius a small smile as he set her down. Arthius stared up at the balcony, squeezing his sword as A gargoyle burst to life beside them. He turned and slashed at its' head, only for it to be caught by the beast. Serana backed up as another came to life behind her. She turned and fired an ice spike which landed directly in its' stomach. It roared as it charged at her, slashing down as she raised her dagger. She was able to stab it through the hand as it slashed down, receiving a roar. Harkon floated down the steps to the platform beside Serana, summoning a spell as he did. Serana quickly raised her open palm to the gargoyle's throat before launching an ice spike through it. She quickly engaged her father once more, dodging spells as quickly as she cast them. Arthius pulled his sword from the gargoyle's skull, taking a glance at Serana and her father battle. Arthius looked up at the walkways that connected to one another above him, a small grin appearing on his face. He crouched down, taking to the shadows as he snuck up the staircase, hoping nocturnal would throw him a bone at this moment.

Serana fell to a knee as she was hit by another spell. Harkon growled as he charged another spell before launching it at his daughter. Serana grunted as the impact dropped her to her hands. Harkon held his next shot as he looked down at her, changing the spell to a summon. He summoned a few skeletons, watching as they slowly surrounded the fallen Serana.

"You know, Serana. I really should have dispatched of you and your traitor mother ages ago" Harkon spoke coldly. Serana clenched her fist, still to weak to stand. Harkon sighed as he crossed his arms, the skeletons readying to deliver the final blow. "Ah well, better late than never I suppose. Dispose of her" Harkon said.

_Zun Haal Viik_

The weapons of the skeletons were thrown around the room, leaving them defenseless. Serana immediately began draining the closest one of its' power. Slowly regaining her strength.

_Wuld Nah Kest_

Harkon turned in the direction of the shout, to immediately be tackled with massive impact. He was sent back, slamming into the corner. He barely had time to react as he was then bashed across the face with a shield. Harkon growled as he slashed down, catching nothing but air as Arthius ducked down. Arthius charged forward, slamming Harkon into the wall once more. Harkon roared as he slashed down, slashing across his shield. Arthius swung his sword, his arm being grabbed by Harkon and thrown aside before being struck across the face and sent back. Arthius staggered for a moment before being charged by Harkon. He blocked another slash before swinging his shield, hitting Harkon's shoulder. As harkon was turned by the impact, he used the momentum to slash across Arthius' chest. Arthius grunted as the claws barely went through the armor, cutting into him, seething at the sting. Harkon readied a drain spell as Arthius rushed at him, shooting it at Arthius' center. It struck Arthius head on, but Arthius didn't let it faze him as he charged Harkon once more, but ran into the swarm of bats Harkon had dispersed into. Arthius swatted as he was encased in the swarm until he was free of it. he quickly turned to be rushed and be tackled into the corner. Harkon shot his hand up and grabbed Arthius' throat. Arthius was slowly lifted, gagging as Harkon pressed his throat. Harkon raised his other hand, and Arthius saw his opportunity. As Harkon raised his hand, Arthius quickly stabbed into it, sinking his sword through his hand and into the wall beside them. Harkon screamed as he dropped Arthius, gripping the handle only to be met with far more pain. Arthius rolled out of the way before turning back to the pinned Harkon.

_Yol Toor Shul_

Harkon was engulfed in flame, screaming as the fire burned him. Arthius turned to Serana as she finished off the last few skeletons. She shot an ice spike into the skull of the fallen skeleton beneath her boot before turning to Arthius, sighing a smile as she saw he was alright.

"Serana, listen to me closely. I need you to go find Durnehviir, tell him "Nir Bormah"."Nir Bormah" alright? Make sure he gets the message, I can hold off your father. Go now" Arthius spoke, staring into Serana's eyes as he did. Serana ran it over in her head for a moment before nodding. She paused for a moment before quickly embracing Arthius with a hug, sighing as she couldn't shake a sudden nervousness.

"Don't die" she simply said before breaking herself free from him and rushing out the doors. She sprinted through the crowd as she made her way to the front of the castle. Arthius turned as Harkon screamed at the top of his lungs, pulling the sword out of the wall and freeing his hand, he threw it across the room as he glared at Arthius with intensity that could shake the souls of any man.

"NO MORE, THIS ENDS NOW!" Harkon roared as he charged. Arthius pulled out his bow, readying another arrow at Harkon.

Serana arrived at the front of the castle,searching all around for the dragon before simply screaming his name. A moment later, Durnehviir landed in front of her. he was scarred and tired, but still looked ready to fight.

"Greetings _Alok-Dilon. _To what do you seek this _Dov_ for?" The dragon spoke. Serana ran the words through her head once again before speaking.

"Nir, Bormah. That's what Arthius wanted me to tell you" Serana said, glancing around as the sound of screaming rang her ears. Durnehviir paused for a moment before slowly leaning in to Serana. Serana stood still as the dragon's snout basically came in contact with her. Durnehviir then inhaled, taking a moment before flapping his wings and taking to the skies once more. Serana watched him, a bit unsure as to what had just happened, but simply turned back to the castle and headed back to Arthius.

Arthius gripped the sides of the bow, pushing Harkon back with it. Harkon swiped down wildly at Arthius as the handle of the bow was pressed against his throat as he swung down at the pinned Arthius. Arthius quickly took a breath before shifting his body to the right, swinging the bow with him, cracking Harkon in the side of the head. Harkon was stunned for a moment before Arthius raised his boot and kicked Harkon away. He pulled out another arrow and aimed it, firing at Harkon just as he had dispersed into bats once more. Arthius took the opportunity to dash for his sword on the staircase. Arthius dashed up the stairs, the swarm of bats now on top of him. As he closed in on his sword, the swarm of bats landed in front of him and Harkon appeared from it. Arthius swung with his bow once again but halted as an aura surrounded him. He was then thrust upward, slamming into the ceiling and back down, smashing into the staircase. Harkon held him to the floor with his Vampiric grip for another moment before slowly raising him, another arrow pointed in his face when he did. Harkon quickly tossed Arthius to the side, sending the arrow deep into his shoulder, splitting the muscle as it did and partially sticking out the other end. Harkon screamed as Arthius was sent through the railing on the other side of the room. The vampire lord slowly reached up to his shoulder when the arrow suddenly exploded, engulfing him in light. Arthius smirked as he heard this, almost chuckling if not for the fact that he was almost positive he had broken a rib in that fall. A small trail of blood was leaking from the corner of his mouth as he smirked, showing off a minimal amount of his damage. Just then, the door opened as Serana rushed back in. Arthius almost laughed if not for the fact that he choked on a cough. Seran glanced at her father who was now slowly crawling to the back of the cathedral. She glanced around until she saw Arthius lying on the stairs beside the shattered railing beside him. She rushed over to him, He was lying on his back, his left arm stretching out to the wall and his other wrapped around his midsection. She felt for his pulse for a moment before slowly raising his head. Arthius met her eyes with a smile as his head was brought up. Serana sighed as she moved forward, pressing her forehead to his.

"Damnit, don't scare me like that" Serana said with a sigh.

"Come on...we're not finished yet...unless I'm just really lucky...and he was killed by that last shot" Arthius spoke painfully with a smile. Serana nodded as she removed her head from his, noticing a glimmer around the edge of Arthius' arm that held his mid. She slowly raised his arm, revealing a tear in his armor from which blood was seeping out of. Serana glanced back up at Arthius who was still smiling.

"Ah...so that's what...was hurting" he said. He cast a healing spell as Serana slowly got up.

"Do your best to heal, Arthius. I can deal with my father" Serana said. Arthius sighed as he let his wound slowly heal, giving her a small nod. Serana turned to where her father was before, finding him a few feet closer to the fountain. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw that her mother had moved herself to the wall, leaving a large trail of blood as she did. Serana was relieved to see this, but she knew she had to defeat her father before going to her mother. She quickly turned back to Harkon, summoning an ice spike in her hand. Harkon was still crawling to the fountain when Serana stepped in front of him. He looked up at her, glaring at her for a moment before speaking.

"How dare you...I am saving us...I was saving all vampires...and your damn mother...both of you try to escape me...and when you return...you throw away everything for a mortal" Harkon spoke. Serana simply stared down at her father as she raised her hand at him, readying the shot.

"And what do you think they'll do to you once this is over, Serana? Do you simply think...they will keep you? I am your father...I will care for-" Harkon was then kicked in the side of the head. Serana clenched her fist as she kicked him again.

"Don't speak to me, don't even think about claiming to be my father after everything you've done" Serana screamed down at him. She then rose her hand again, aiming it at Harkon's head. She looked at him one more time, glaring into his eyes. Harkon stared back, then smiled. Serana then fired, the spike sinking in the ground as the swarm of bats rushed past her to the fountain. Harkon reappeared over the fountain, a red aura surrounding him. Serana shot another spike, but it seemed to disintegrate as it made contact with the aura surrounding him. Serana could see his wounds heal, and the power that he was rapidly gaining. The aura faded and Harkon slowly looked back up at Serana. Serana paused before firing another ice spike, though it missed as Harkon flew down and rushed at her. Before she could comprehend what had happened, Serana was slammed against the doors that led inside the cathedral. Harkon roared as he slashed up her side. Serana screamed before stabbing her dagger into Harkon's arm. Harkon backed up, holding his arm. Serana fell to her knees as she held her side, looking up to see her father rushing her again. Her head was then slammed against the doors, Serana felt everything go numb as she was roughly grabbed by the hair. She felt herself being dragged slowly across the floor. Her vision was blurry but she could make out enough to know she was being dragged back to the fountain.

"I WILL HAVE YOUR BLOOD, AND I WILL SAVE OUR KIND!" Harkon roared as they approached the fountain. Serana began to struggle, swinging at her father. He simply slammed her against the floor. Serana tried to fight, but she felt drained. She had gone all out the entire battle, and now it was catching up to her. As Harkon approached the fountain, he paused as he heard something. A sort of whistle could be heard throughout the room, slowly getting louder and more intense at each moment. Suddenly the back of the room exploded, sending the fountain flying towards Harkon. He quickly ducked, turning and watching as the fountain smashed through the doors. He turned back to see a large hole where the wall used to be, and a large dragon filling the hole. Before he could react, he felt himself be pushed towards the beast from behind. The dragon snapped at him, catching him in the arm. Harkon screamed as the massive jaws of the dragon crushed his arm. Harkon growled as he summoned his strongest drain spell and unleashed it on the beast. The dragon roared as it jerked its' head to the side sending Harkon flying into the wall. Durnehviir roared,sending blue flames which consumed Harkon, he screamed as he was drained of his magic. Harkon put everything he had to morph into his bats once more. He flew towards the dragon, the bats fading as they were burned. Harkon appeared in front of the Dragon quickly striking with his claw pointed, stabbing into its' eye. Durnehviir roared out in pain as Harkon continued his assault on the dragon, slashing at every vital spot he could see. Durnehviir readied his thu'um once more, but was met with one final blast of draining from Harkon. Durnehviir slowly began to sink back until he lopsided and fell out of the hole, smashing more of the wall as he went, fading back to the soul cairn. Harkon stood strong as he glared down at where the beast once was. The cold sea air meeting his wounds, making him wince. He looked around, staring at the thick fog for a moment as he caught his breath.

_Lok Vah Koor_

Harkon turned to see where it had come from, just in time to see Arthius standing in the center of the room with the bow pointed directly at him. He then felt the sun's rays hitting his back, and looked down to see he was consumed in the sunlight. Harkon's head shot up to Arthius, glaring at him with much ferocity.

"YOU-" Harkon began. Arthius released the arrow, sending it flying directly into Harkon's chest. Harkon immediately burst into flame, the sunlight exploding on his skin. Harkon flailed as the light consumed him, staggering as he began to move towards Arthius. Suddenly Serana stepped in front of him, raising her boot and kicking him hard in the chest. Harkon stumbled back, before falling over the edge. His scream was then muffled as he fell, leaving nothing but silence. Arthius stared at the hole, slowly lowering the bow.

"Me" he said. Serana glanced to the side and immediately rushed to where her mother was. Arthius looked over to see Valerica sitting against the wall, only a few feet from the edge, and in the sunlight could see that she was pale, too pale. He slowly walked over, putting his bow back as he watched Valerica whisper to her daughter, before slowly turning to him. Arthius paused before slowly walking beside her and crouching down. Valerica smiled at him, weakly, but it was a smile either way.

"Arthius...I wanted to thank you...for watching over my daughter" Valerica spoke weakly. Arthius glanced at Serana who was kneeling beside her mother opposite of him.

"I promised I would, and I will keep that promise" Arthius said. Valerica smiled again at him.

"That is all I needed to hear" She spoke slowly before resting her head back against the wall and staring up at the ceiling. Serana stared at her for a moment before looking at Arthius who was looking down at the floor. She then quickly turned back to her mother, quickly standing. and looking down at her.

"Mother" Serana called for her, but to no response. Arthius sighed as he stood, slowly walking over toward Serana.

"Mother?" Serana said again. Arthius stood beside her watching as the tears filled her eyes. Arthius slowly raised his hand and reached for her shoulder, until it was suddenly grabbed. Arthius turned to see the burnt and scarred face of Harkon as it madly glared at him.

"I WILL KILL YOU" He roared as he raised his sword in his other hand, barely able to hold on to it. Serana turned and stabbed her dagger deep into the throat of her father. Arthius reached up and grabbed Harkon's sword, stabbing it deep into his chest. Harkon stared wildly at Arthius, before using the last bit of strength he had to push himself back as hard as he could, clinging to Arthius the entire time. Serana reached out, but was only able to graze Arthius' arm before he was sent over the edge, falling to the sea below. Arthius stared up, slowly gasping for air as he realized he hadn't breathed for a few moments. Sound faded out as he watched Serana get further and further away. He felt himself go numb as he made impact, almost glad he couldn't feel his arm being pulled out of it's socket by his own stachel as it crashed into the sea along with him. He sank into the deep, wondering why he didn't feel cold. After a moment, he began to feel again, and realized how weak he felt, and how good sleep would feel.

It was at that moment that he realized that he couldn't sleep. he wasn't doesn't done yet, and death wasn't an option. With everything he had, he kicked towards the surface, gagging at the pain that shot through his entire body, forcing him to choke as the cold squeezed him. He shook violently at the pain and the cold, feeling very ounce of breath leave his body as he floated in the darkness.

Serana didn't remember anything that happened after she watched Arthius fall, but she found herself running across the beach. She arrived at the water's edge looking out over the surface. She searched for what seemed like hours before she saw a hand peirce out of the water. She couldn't launch herself into the freezing waters fast enough as she raced towards the hand, grabbing the ebony gauntlet and jerking it up. Arthius shot up from the water in front of her before being slowly pulled back to land. Serana crawled on the beach, frozen and out of breath, dragging Arthius behind her. She collapsed on the warm sand, actually enjoying the sun on her skin. After a few moments, she heard Arthius begin to move and opened her eyes to see him lying beside her, a silver circlet shining in the sunlight.

"The enchantment...it was waterbreathing" Arthius said, chuckling before his head went back in the sand. Serana stared for a moment before allowing her head to sink back as well..

A few hours later, the rest of the vampires had been finished off and Aela found the two on the beach. She quickly turned back, calling for Farkas to fetch some men and a couple of healers. As she turned back, she crossed her arms as she looked at them. Aela sighed a small smile as she looked at both of them.

"Looks like a pair to me" She said softly. Serana was able to walk but Farkas basically had to carry Arthius back to the front of the castle alone as the rest of the group went ahead of them, except Serana of course.

"This reminds me of when we got piss drunk after a successful job" Arthius smiled. Farkas chuckled as he readjusted Arthius' arm over his shoulder.

"Except I'm the one carrying you" Farkas said.

"Gods, I didn't remember much from those nights but I remember how damn heavy you are" Arthius said.

"Better than staying a whelp like you" Farkas grunted, making Arthius laugh. They made their way to the front of the castle, just in time to see Agmaer, basically consumed by bandages and surrounded by healers who were trying to keep him still.

"...the vampire menace. We, my brothers and sisters, have saved Skyrim from a fate worse than death. For Isran, and for all those who fell in this effort, we will celebrate!" Agmaer shouted. A roar of cheers erupted from the crowd, though pained, bruised and beaten, were proud.

"I can handle it from here, Farkas" Serana spoke as she slowly put Arthius' arm around her shoulder. Farkas nodded to her before making his way through the crowd to the other watched him go before turning to Arthius.

"So...what now?" She asked. Arthius raised a brow at her.

"I mean...what will you have of me? You said that once we were done-" Serana was then muffled by his hand. She shook as the cold metal of his gauntlet pressed against her lips.

"I'm tired...let's just focus on getting me home for the time being, alright?" Arthius said. Serana paused before simply nodding. Arthius sighed as he shifted himself on Serana, attempting to get bit more comfort as they waited for the rest of the group to finish their post battle celebrations before sailing back to the shore.

As night approached, Serana found herself sitting alone in a room at the winking skeever. Arthius was in another room, still recovering from his wounds. Serana stared blankly at the wall, wrapping her arms around herself. She was finally alone, left with nothing but her own thoughts. She didn't know when the thoughts of her mother entered her mind, but there was no sign of them leaving. Serana doubled over finding it harder to breathe with each passing moment. She held her chest, almost gagging at the intense pain she felt. Her hands trembled as her vision blurred, she felt her legs pull her down as she landed on the floor, her head in her knees. A pained gasp came from her as she tried to catch her breath. She had no idea how he got there but she found herself clinging to Arthius as he sat beside her, holding her close to him as she silently bawled into his chest. She felt it all at once, rewatching the scene before her over and over again. Hours later, Arthius leaned back, resting his head on the furs of the bed as Serana rested her head on his lap as she slept. He stared at the dark ceiling, tired but knowing that he wouldn't find sleep soon. He thought of everything, the pain Serana had put him through, and the life she had saved him from. He thought of her side, her losses, and even her future. He thought of Rena, wondering what she would think of this, but mostly of what she'd want him to do. He hoped for an answer, or to at least hear her voice again. After a few moments, he sighed as he knew that probably wasn't going to happen. At that moment, Serana turned her body, facing him as she slept. Arthius stared down at her, chuckling at how peaceful she looked, and almost laughing as he realized this was the same room that they almost tore apart. He thought of all their fights, everything they said to each other, the words that cut deeply, but he could only find joy in them now. Arthius sighed once more before slowly bringing his knees up to his chest. Serana was slowly awoken from her sleep, allowing Arthius a glimpse at her eyes once more.

"Arthius...what is it?" Serana asked. Arthius chuckled before reaching down and putting his arms under her legs and picking her up. He turned around and set her on her bed, sighing at how heavy she felt to him with his bruises.

"I'm going back to bed, rest up. We're heading home in the morning" Arthius said before turning to the door. Serana watched him as he walked through the door, leaving her room.

"Home" Serana said in a whisper before settling into the bed.

It had been a few days since their battle, and Arthius had mostly recovered from his wounds. He sat at the water's edge in a simple tunic, looking over the lake beside his manor, petting his saber cat as it gnawed on an old bone it had taken a liking to beside him. He scratched it behind its' ears for a moment before looking down at it chewing on the dry bone.

"Gnaw" he said, causing the Saber Cat to look up at him.

"You like that? It could work, simple but it could work" he said as he scratched its' head again as it continued staring at him.

"You're not even listening are you?" Arthius said before turning back to the water. After a few moments, he sighed as he go up and headed back to his home. As he entered the house, the Saber Cat rushed past his legs, hitting Arthius' leg with the bone it held in its' mouth, and rushing into the library where it sat beside Serana as she read. Arthius passed the library, simply getting a look at Serana before walking past with a sigh. They hadn't talked much in the past few days, and Lydia leaving for private affairs in Whiterun made it a bit more lonely in the house. It was for the best as Serana wasn't as friendly as she was the last time the two had spoken. Arthius entered his room, removing his tunic as he got into his bed.

Serana sighed as she sat in the dark, gripping the satchel of blood potions before rising from her seat and heading to the doors of the manor for the third night. She had no idea where she would go, or what she would do but she couldn't think of a good reason to stay. As Serana approached the doors, she froze as she raised her hand to the handle. She sighed and lowered her hand simply standing in front of the doors in the darkness, her mind racing and freezing her feet to the ground. She couldn't help but to turn around, glancing up at the doors that led into Arthius' room. After a few moments, she forced a foot forward, and then another until she found herself at the staircase. Serana took in a shaky breath, putting her hand on the railing but immediately pulling it back, as though it burned her. She froze in place for a few more moments before taking another deep breath and placing her hand on the railing once more. Serana slowly made her way up the staircase, with each step her feet felt heavier and heavier. She was out of breath by the time she had reached the doors, still unsure why she did this. Slowly, her hand raised from her side, grazing the wood, and quickly pushing the door open enough to look through. Serana slowly leaned in, glancing in to see Arthius fast asleep in his bed. After a moment, she took a step back down the stairs, but felt herself leaning forward. Another deep breath, Serana found herself in the open doorway, feeling more than uncomfortable as she stared at Arthius as he slept. Serana wanted to just leave, turn and run out the doors, but she knew there was a reason she was there, a reason she went to him. After a few moments, Serana wanted a reason, a reason to stay, that's what she told herself anyways. If even he couldn't find a reason then she could leave. Surprised at her own speed compared to her past movements, she found herself at his side already. She hesitated before putting her hand on his shoulder and shaking him a bit more roughly than she meant to.

"Arthius...what- I mean why.." Serana began, almost cursing as she realized she had no idea what to say. Arthius exhaled, getting out a small yawn as he looked around before seeing Serana beside his bed.

"Serana? What is it?" he asked. Serana felt like an idiot, just standing there with nothing to say. Her mind raced until she realized she was just standing there, silent as Arthius looked at her.

"Why..why am I here?" she asked, just trying to say something. Arthius sighed as he sat up, rubbing his eye as he did.

"Why? Because I invited you here, and you agreed...well you went along with it but still" Arthius said. Serana crossed her arms, a bit aggravated.

"No, that;s not what I meant...why did you invite me here?" Serana asked.

"To annoy Lydia" Arthius chuckled. Serana sighed as she turned and began walking towards the doors.

"Nevermind" Serana said, feeling insulted as she stepped to the foot of the bed. Arthius quickly leaned forward and grabbed her by the wrist, sighing as he pulled, sending her topping on the bed in front of him. Serana pushed herself up to meet Arthius face to face.

"I invited you here because I wanted you here, it's that simple" Arthius said, giving a her a reassuring nod before leaning back and lying back down. Serana stayed there, staring at him as she mulled over what he had said. She still considered leaving, but she had one more question.

"Arthius?" She asked. Arthius yawned for a moment, before wiping his brow.

"Yeah" he said.

"Why did you stay...I want the real answer this time" She asked, now that she was on the other side she wanted his reason, hoping it would be the answer she could give herself. Arthius sighed as he readjusted himself in his bed, beginning to doze off.

"I stayed...honestly, because you didn't want me to leave, and I couldn't find a better reason to leave" Arthius said. Serana froze as he said this, pushing herself up and sitting at the foot of the bed. She thought about what he had said, putting every reason he thought she should leave against it. It wasn't until many hours later in the darkness that she realized her conclusion, looking back at Arthius in the darkness.

The sun was barely rising as Arthius opened an eye, blinking a few times as he shifted a bit, turning onto his back. Arthius looked up to see Serana smiling down at him. Serana smiled down at him as she held his head in her lap as he slept, holding him close to her as she sat up through the night.

"Serana..when did-" Arthius was cut off as Serana brought him close and pressed her lips to his cheek before pulling him into her for a tight hug. Arthius was a bit confused, but simply sighed and let Serana do whatever she was doing. Serana smiled as she held him to her, realizing that the biggest reason for her not to leave him, was because he wouldn't be with her. After a few more moments she released Arthius, and quickly got up and went to the doors. Arthius watched her with a puzzled expression until she stopped at the doors and turned to him.

"So...what are we doing today?" Serana asked. Arthius looked at her for a moment before smiling and rising from his bed.

The walk to Falkreath was uneventful but he enjoyed living in this part of Skyrim because of the seasonal changes. Winter brought snow, covering the land in pure white showing off skyrim's true weather. Spring brought out the beautiful colors of nature and wild game to hunt, even if the Jarl kills most of them. But this walk was different as he glanced to his side at the vampire girl walking beside him, staring out at the lake, taking in the land he called home as the beauty that it was.

As Serana stared out, she found herself smiling at the littlest things. It wasn't until last night, as she held Arthius close to her, that she realized something. In all of her existence, he was the first person she felt she could wake up each and every day for. She realized that he wasn't just her closest friend, but something she couldn't live without, and everything up to this point didn't matter. She turned to him as he looked forward, moving to him and placing her head on his shoulder.

Because he wasn't just someone in her life, he was a meaning to her. A reason stay alive, a reason to be happy. He was something that she could cherish, something that she would never give up, and never leave. Something she would protect with all her being.

Something to Fight For

**Before anything else I'd like to thank everyone who was part of this story. danadanaBATMAN for all the support the entire way through as well as the picture and Blindluck92 and everyone else for all their reviews which make my day.**

**DasCheesenborgir and Skullar for helping me with my writing, it means a lot.**

**My biggest thanks goes to BD99 who was truly the reason I wrote this story, she's a great writer and I'm grateful for everything.**

**And of course, thank you to all of you. Everyone who read this story, those who followed it, and those who thought it was even good enough to favorite it. This started out as just something to pass the time but I truly loved doing it as well as the support I got. **

**I don't know when or even if I'm continuing this story, but I'm glad you stuck with me up to this point. If there's anything any of you want to say, this would be the time to do it as I'm probably going to be taking a break from Fanfiction for a while. Thanks for everything.**

**-Azlan0861**


	26. Update

**Update: This story is continuing! The first chapter is up and you can go check it out in my new story "The New King" on my profile. Hope to see you soon.**

**-Azlan**


	27. I Need Your Help Guys!

**Quick Update: I need your help guys! Inkitt is currently holding a contest on their site and I've submitted Something to Fight For. If you guys could go and click the heart at the bottom of the chapter and show it some love, that'd mean the world to me as it would mean furthering what I've done as a writer. **

stories/34858

**Here's the link! If you have any trouble, just search for something to fight for on the site. **

**And for those of you waiting for the next chapter of The New KIng. I can happily say tha much more progress has been made and you can expect to see it in the coming weeks. **

**Thanks for voting!**

**-Azlan**


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